Blending Bench Trials

One of the most useful techniques used in blending wine is performing bench trials, which is the process of treating a series of small wine samples with varying degrees of conditions. In the case of blending, bench trials involve dosing a sample of wine with different measured amounts of a blending wine. The goal of bench trials is to try a series of combinations and decide which final blend is best. When you have found the right blend, you can then scale up the addition to treat the entire batch of wine. To perform blending bench trials at home or on a small scale, all you need is some basic equipment and at least three decent wine tasters. Here is what you will need: • Three (or more) wine tasters • A wine thief • (1) 10-mL graduated pipet or syringe • The main wine to be tested • Wines for blending • Clean wine glasses — enough for each taster and each sample Procedure: Allow your tasters to taste each component wine and take some notes on their body,