Rollin' Yer Own...

[stevebody]

Since trying this for the first time while I was running an Italian restaurant in Seattle's University District, I've done it half a dozen time and would like to see if any of you have tried it:

I took a couple of sample bottles I was given by one of my reps and blended them 60/40 Umberto Cesari Sangiovese and Bocaini Dirada Merlot. I got the idea because the shortcomings of each bottle were almst exactly the opposite of the other. The result was a very nice, food-friendly faux Super Tuscan thing that I even tried on some of my patrons (no charge), who liked it a lot. I've tried it since with some of the Trader Joe's cheapies, most recently dumping together bottles of Chuck's Merlot, D'Aquino Cab, and Caravaggio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. My guests that night sucked it up like crazy and wanted to know who made it. (I evaded the question) The best one I made was a bottle of Snoqualmie Cab, Montes Merlot, and a sample bottle of Lost Mountain Winery Cab Franc in a 40/30/30 blend.

I enjoy this a lot and was wondering if any of you have experimented with it. In the case of the cheap stuff, the resulting wine has been FAR more than the sum of its parts; not spectacular but a lot more palatable.

Any stories?

[winoweenie]

Sounds like a fun trip there SB. Being the lazy critter I be I've always poured straight from the open bottle. Will give it a whirl next time I have the brood over. WW [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

[Innkeeper]

Couldn't find the thread, but a couple of years ago, my brother was up and we served a dish that we had previously enjoyed with a Cab/Shiraz blend from Oz. The cellar was devoid of such, but there was a Shiraz and an inexpensive but decent California Cab. So, they went into two caraffes, half and half. It was a perfect match with the dish, and quite enjoyable as a blend. Owned up to what I had done, and brother couldn't believe it. Said it was the best wine he'd had in some time. Haven't tried anything like that since.

[Thomas]

IIlustrates a point that I have always made and still believe: blending is the true art of winemaking.

[Kcwhippet]

If you haven't already, you might try a few of David Coffaro's wines. His Cabs, Zins, Petite Sirahs, et al, are really some of the wildest blends going. Check them out at www.coffaro.com.

[wondersofwine]

At a wine seminar (possibly sponsored by Robert Mondavi) we were allowed to make our own red wine blend and I thought mine was very tasty without a lot of experimenting.

[winoweenie]

Yeah verily there WOW but you put enough dosage in your Bubbly at Glenora that Glen had to send out for another bag of sugar so's we'uns could finish our bottles. WW [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img] [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img] [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

[Kcwhippet]

Glen who? Perchance would you be refering to Gene,ww?

[Innkeeper]

Well, I got the story assbackwards. Found the thread, and it went like this: "Took a bottle of the 2000 Bleasdale 'Mulberry Tree' Cabernet Sauvignon and a bottle of the 1998 Bianchi Syrah mixed them together in equal parts in two carafes. The result was wonderful. Went extremely well as an aperitif and with the meal. Brother was both flabbergasted and impressed."

[winoweenie]

Ole fat-fingers done it agin. Of course I meant Gene. WW

[Kcwhippet]

I'm sure he'll be gald to see he's so well remembered. Really nice guy. Now that the weather's getting cooler, I can send him off those Central Coast PN's he liked. It's fun getting someone hooked on a new wine, particularly someone ITB.