What Is a Field Blend: Blends Explained for Wine Experts
Updated
What is a field blend? The question starts with composition. Understanding the composition of fine wines is key for collectors. Many celebrated wines come from a blend of different grape varieties. In regions such as Bordeaux, winemakers combine grapes to achieve a specific style. They adapt to vintage conditions, as Stephen Brook notes in The Complete Bordeaux. Red Bordeaux, for instance, typically blends grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carménère. White Bordeaux wines commonly feature Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc, and Muscadelle. Burgundy's red appellations even permit blending in up to 15% of white varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot blanc, or Pinot gris. This is not a common practice today. This intentional mixing of grape varieties usually happens after harvest. It is fundamental to creating wines with desired characteristics and depth.
How are different grape varieties combined in winemaking?
Winemakers typically combine different grape varieties during the blending stage of the winemaking process. That stage occurs after harvest and fermentation. In Bordeaux, for example, grapes are usually sorted and destemmed before crushing. That process is now almost universally mechanical, according to Stephen Brook in The Complete Bordeaux. Fermentation then takes place, often in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. After the must is pressed, it is transferred to barriques for a period of aging, commonly a year. These are traditional 225-litre oak barrels.
The blending of wine from different grape varieties happens at some point between pressing and bottling. This is an integral part of the Bordeaux winemaking process, as few Bordeaux wines are varietals. Wine from different grape varieties is mixed together, depending on the vintage conditions. The goal is a wine in the château's preferred style. Additionally, wine from various parts of the vineyard is often aged separately. The winemaker then judges whether to blend it into the main or the second wine, or to sell it off wholesale. The wine then goes into bottle and typically undergoes further aging before release. Understanding these processes can help you assess a wine's potential for fine wine investment.
Which wine regions are known for blending grapes?
Several prominent wine regions around the world have a long tradition of blending different grape varieties. The aim is complex and balanced wines. Bordeaux, France, stands out as a prime example. There, blending is an integral part of the winemaking process, as detailed in The Complete Bordeaux. The region's red wines are generally made from a blend of permitted grapes. White Bordeaux wines are also usually blends.
Burgundy, another significant French wine region, also incorporates blending into its appellation rules. For red Burgundy appellations, rules run from regional to Grand Cru level. They generally allow up to 15% of the white grape varieties Chardonnay, Pinot blanc, and Pinot gris to be blended in. This is not widely practiced today. Beyond France, wineries globally aspire to make wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Most Meritage wines originate from California. Members of this association are found in 18 states and five other countries. They include Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico. These global examples highlight the widespread adoption of blending as a key winemaking strategy. You can explore these diverse regions and their producers using our producer atlas.
What grape varieties are commonly used in blended wines?
The specific grape varieties used in blended wines vary significantly by region and desired style. In Bordeaux, the blend composition is carefully managed to achieve distinct profiles.
| Region/Wine Type | Predominant Grapes | Other Permitted Grapes | New Approved Grapes (Post-July 2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Bordeaux | Cabernet Sauvignon (25% by area), Merlot (62% by area), Cabernet Franc (12% by area) | Petit Verdot, Malbec, Carménère (1% in total) | Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, Arinarnoa (for Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérior) |
| White Bordeaux | Sémillon (54% by area), Sauvignon blanc (36% by area), Muscadelle (7% by area) | Ugni blanc, Colombard, Folle blanche (3% in total), Sauvignon gris, Merlot blanc, Ondenc, Mauzac | Alvarinho, Petit Manseng, Liliorila |
| Red Burgundy | Pinot noir, Gamay | Chardonnay, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris (up to 15% allowed in blends) | n/a |
| White Burgundy | Chardonnay, Aligoté | Sauvignon blanc (in Saint Bris appellation) | n/a |
| For red Bordeaux wines, Cabernet Sauvignon typically dominates blends in the Médoc and the left bank of the Gironde estuary. Typical top-quality château blends there are 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Merlot. That is according to Oz Clarke and Margaret Rand in Grapes and Wines: Encyclopedia of Grapes. Merlot tends to predominate in Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, and other right bank appellations. There, top-quality château blends are typically 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. White Bordeaux wines are most commonly 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon blanc. You can track the performance of these regions and their wines on our live fine wine market index. |
Why do winemakers choose to blend grape varieties?
Winemakers blend grape varieties for several strategic reasons. The main aims are a desired style, adaptation to environmental conditions, and better wine quality. In Bordeaux, the mixing of different grape varieties happens "to produce a wine in the château's preferred style," as noted in The Complete Bordeaux. This allows for consistency in the face of natural variations.
Blending also enables winemakers to respond to "vintage conditions." Each growing season presents unique challenges. By combining grapes with different characteristics, producers can mitigate weaknesses or highlight strengths of a particular vintage. A significant modern reason for blending, particularly in Bordeaux, is "to combat effects of climate change on viticulture," according to Wine-Searcher. That reason led to the authorization of new red and white grape varieties in July 2019.
Furthermore, blending can be a tool for quality management and market positioning. In Burgundy, producers may declassify their wine to a lower-ranked Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) if they choose. This practice might be used to include only older vines in a Grand Cru wine, thereby "to improve its quality and raise its prestige and price." Wine from younger vines is then sold as a Premier Cru at a lower price. This allows producers to maintain a higher average price for their top-tier wines.
How do appellation rules influence blended wine production?
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) laws play a critical role in governing the production of blended wines, particularly in France. These regulations dictate which grape varieties a specific appellation permits. They also set out how those varieties can be used. In Bordeaux, for example, AOC laws "dictate that all grapes must be harvested from a particular appellation for that appellation to appear on the label," as stated in Wine Spectator. Permitted red grapes in Bordeaux include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carménère. White wines predominantly use Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc, and Muscadelle.
Appellation rules also evolve to address new challenges. In July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes: Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa. They also approved three new white grapes: Alvarinho, Petit Manseng, and Liliorila. These additions are specifically "to combat effects of climate change on viticulture in Bordeaux," as reported by Wine-Searcher. They are only for wines designated as Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérior.
In Burgundy, appellation rules for red wines run from regional to Grand Cru level. They generally allow up to 15% of white grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot blanc, and Pinot gris to be blended in. This practice is not widely adopted today. This flexibility within appellation rules allows winemakers to adapt and innovate while maintaining regional character. Understanding these regulations is crucial for calculating the all-in cost of your wine.
Blending grape varieties is a cornerstone of winemaking in many of the world's most esteemed regions. It allows producers to craft wines of specific character, balance, and longevity. From the structured blends of Bordeaux to the nuanced regional wines of Burgundy, this practice shapes the flavors and styles that collectors seek. Explore the diverse world of wine production with our producer atlas. It includes examples like Douro field-blend Ports and Alsace Gentil examples.