If you ever wonder what winemakers do early in the calendar year besides hosting dinners, well, one major responsibility is blending. For me it’s a two-month season that begins in late January and continues through March. There’s a personal timeline I must adhere to – I’m in a rush to get all the blends done before allergy season kicks in.

I will taste all of the components at least twice, and I’ll taste them blind; that is, I will know that I’m tasting various lots of our 2007 Pinot Noir, for example, but I won’t know which lot is which. It’s just a way of eliminating any prejudices and expectations, conscious or not, I may have about a given lot of wine. During this period, I’ll do the … More…