Master Wine Blender – YOU!

IWFS members attempt to blend a Bordeaux wine against the estate’s bottling

How many of us have thought about the art of wine blending? What better way to learn than having a go at it ourselves, and with a Master of Wine at hand to guide us along! 14 IWFS members gathered on 17 September in the cellar of Waud Handford Wines in London to test our skills.

Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere (Bordeaux) had bottled the components of their 2014 vintage separately for each of us to blend ourselves. We tried two Cabernet Sauvignons, two Merlots and a Petit Verdot from different barrels, including a mix of French and American oak. Armed with a syringe and empty glasses, our job was to taste our own blend and see if each of us could improve on the Château’s! To finish, we tasted two 2 blind reds and tried to guess the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The estate’s blend was 50% cab sauv, 25% merlot and 25% petit verdot. Members’ blends varied widely – some preferring the age-worthy restraint of French-oaked cab sauv, others a rounder, fruit-softened blend featuring merlot. The two blind wines were 75% and 100% cab sauv.

James Handford MW led the evening and delved deeply into Bordeaux winemaking and trade.

NOTABLE GUESTS  James Handford, MW and founder of Waud Handford Wines

LIST OF WINES 

Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere (Margaux), Cru Bourgeois, 2014

CONTACT

Capital Branch: Phillip Kim

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