HMGT 4997 Fall 2024

Wine name: Pier 40

Grape Varieties with Vineyards:

50% Sauvignon Blanc. North Fork, Long Island

40% Orange wine. North Fork, Long Island

10% Chardonnay. North Fork, Long Island

Tasting Notes:

This wine blends a bright and refreshing taste with zesty flavors of lemon and green apple and subtle hints of minerality from the Sauvignon Blanc. The orange wine adds texture and hints of dried fruit and spices, while the Chardonnay gives it a smooth, mild, buttery finish. Together, they create a balanced wine that’s crisp, slightly fruit-forward and leaves a long, refreshing aftertaste.

Food Pairing:

This blend pairs well with grilled sea bass or baked fish with roasted vegetables drizzled in olive oil. The mild acidity would complement the fish and cut through the richness of the olive oil and vegetables.

My thought process to develop my final blend was to incorporate aromas and flavors that would resonate with my menu item. A light, crisp, refreshing blend, such as a rosé to go with the savoriness of the vegetables and fish. Although my original idea did not pan out, I decide to go for a triple white blend. A Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and a skin-on Chardonnay. Alone these grapes give are superior in on their own so combining them would be ideal for my dish. I just had to trial and error many times to get the right consistency for what I was looking for.

The process was not what I was expecting as I want to do a blend that would create a rose but that was a challenge on its own. Instead, Professor Goodlad suggested if it did not work out to have a plan B. Indeed, it did not work and decide on a white blend.

My first blend did not taste nor smelled as expected. It was too dry and just not pleasing to the palette. This was the rose blend I had in mind but did not work out. So, I switched it up to another variation of whites. The base wines all had distinct types of aromas and flavors. I thought the skin-on chardonnay by itself would have been ideal for my menu item. However, the final blend I chose was a mixture of 50% sauvignon blanc, 40% skin-on chardonnay, and 10% regular chardonnay. The aromas that gave off from this mixture were underripe green apples, a very mild citrus smell, lemon comes to memory. The taste was crisp, a bit of tartiness from green apples, subtle hints of butter, and what I thought was a nice balance amongst the three with a low body finish.

My blend was not identified as the “winning blend” by my peers, although a close second to the chosen one. The winner’s blend consisted of the same grapes just different percentages.

Wine Name: A Brooklyn’s Blend

Grape Varieties & Vineyards:

• 57% Cabernet Sauvignon (North Fork, Long Island)
• 29% Cabernet Franc (North Fork, Long Island)
• 15% Skin-Fermented Chardonnay (North Fork, Long Island)

Tasting Notes:
This light-medium-bodied red blend offers ripe black cherry and blackberry aromas, accompanied by subtle earthy undertones. On the palate, there’s slight acidity balanced by a hint of residual sugar, with a smooth finish and a touch of spice at the end. The skin-fermented Chardonnay adds a layer of complexity, making this wine both refreshing and layered.

Food Pairing Suggestion:
Its vibrant fruit flavors and balanced acidity make it a great match for dishes with poultry or grilled vegetables.

North Fork, Long Island, NY
50% Chardonnay, 35% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Orange Wine

Discover the perfect blend of maritime freshness and rich complexity. Harmony Blanc combines the best of North Fork’s terroir.

Tasting Notes:
Pale yellow with hints of dark yellow. Green apple and passion fruit aromas. Crisp acidity, subtle oak, and a smooth finish.

Food Pairing:
Broiled Salmon with Béarnaise Sauce, Pommes Natures, and Sautéed Zucchini.

Vineyard Notes:
Chardonnay (Mentabrlla) fermented in reused oak barrels (2-year-old). Sauvignon Blanc (37 years old) showcases maritime characteristics. Orange Wine undergoes six weeks of maceration.

Awards and Accolades:
Selected to be served in the esteemed Janet Lefler Dining Room.

Winemaker’s Note:
Our sustainably farmed vineyards, located above North Fork’s Jamesport, harvest exceptional grapes. Naturally fermented with minimal intervention.

$45/bottle

As I started the wine blending exercise in my wine class at Red Hook Winery, I was determined to create a unique wine that would harmoniously pair with “Broiled Salmon with Béarnaise Sauce, Pommes Natures, and Sautéed Zucchini.” The final blend, consisting of approximately Chardonnay (50% – 3 tablespoons), Sauvignon Blanc (35% – 2 tablespoons), and Orange Wine (15% – 1 tablespoon), exceeded my expectations.

The blending process consisted of trial and error. I carefully considered the characteristics of each grape variety and how they would complement the chosen dish. Chardonnay (50%) added richness, buttery, and oaky notes, providing depth and complexity. Sauvignon Blanc (35%) contributed crisp acidity, citrus, green apple, and grassy flavors, enhancing freshness. Orange Wine (15%) introduced unique orange peel, spice, and tannin characteristics.

Throughout the blending process, I sought a crisp, refreshing, rich, textured wine with hints of fruitiness and oak. I aimed to balance contrasting elements, creating a balanced blend. Notably, the process developed as expected, and I successfully avoided excessive acidity from Sauvignon Blanc and oakiness from Chardonnay, resulting in a balanced and smooth wine.

The final blend met my expectations in terms of aroma and taste. The aroma was smooth and refreshing, while the taste was soft on the palate. The blend’s subtle crispness and oak notes aligned with my expectations.

My blend was identified as the “winning blend” among my classmates and peers. This recognition boosted my confidence in wine blending. The positive feedback from peers underscored the importance of balance in creating a balanced final product.

The blend beautifully complements the rich flavors of the Béarnaise sauce, the delicate salmon, and the earthy zucchini. The crisp acidity cuts through the sauce’s creaminess, while the oak and fruit notes enhance the salmon’s flavor. This successful pairing highlight the importance of balance in wine blending.

Through this blending exercise, I gained a valuable understanding of the art of wine blending. Balance is key, and understanding grape varieties helps make blending decisions. Experimentation and adaptation are essential during the blending process. This experience has sparked a deeper appreciation for wine blending and its complexities.

In conclusion, this blending exercise helped my skills and created a greater appreciation for the art of wine blending. I look forward to applying these skills in future blending exercises, exploring new combinations, and improving my skills.

At the beginning of the blending session at Red Hook Winery, I went in with the expectation of creating a dry red wine to pair with my Braised Beef Jardinière and Duchess Potatoes. We started by tasting the base wines, which included three whites—Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and skin-fermented Chardonnay—and three reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.

Initially, I wanted to use all three red wines in my blend, as each had the qualities I was looking for. The Merlot was medium-bodied with a flavor that I tend to gravitate towards, the Cabernet Franc had the full body and tartness I wanted, and the Cabernet Sauvignon had the color, aroma, and some tartness I aimed for. By combining the Cabernet Franc with the Cabernet Sauvignon I believed that it would create the dryness and mouthfeel that would pair perfectly with my dish.

When we started blending, though, the process didn’t go as I expected. My first blend was 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Cabernet Franc, but I didn’t like it. The vegetal notes from the Cabernet Franc overpowered everything so, I removed the Cabernet Franc and increased the Cabernet Sauvignon to 50%. Unfortunately, this made it worse—the salinity increased, and the flavor reminded me of Lay’s chips.

For my third blend, I decreased the Merlot and made Cabernet Sauvignon the dominant grape. I replaced the Cabernet Franc with Sauvignon Blanc to maintain some dryness. This blend was the best of the three, but it still lacked complexity. Finally, I returned to my original idea of having Merlot as the dominant varietal. I made a blend with 55% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% skin-fermented Chardonnay instead of Sauvignon Blanc. That’s when I realized that the salinity was coming from the Merlot.

In my final blend, I used 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Cabernet Franc, and 15% skin-fermented Chardonnay. The taste was different than I expected, but the aroma was close to what I had envisioned. I wanted the classic black cherry and blackberry notes typical of Cabernet Sauvignon, and I think I achieved that. The taste had a light-medium body with slight acidity and residual sugars, which wasn’t what I had planned for my dish, but it turned out to be a wine I would enjoy drinking on its own.

In the end, my wine was identified as the second best of the red wines that were blended that day among my peers. Professor Goodlad had created an excellent red blend that I would pair my dish with instead of the blend that I had made, however, I enjoyed this experience even though my results differed from what I had expected.