Paired with Grilled Lamb “Steaks” Hache and Ratatouille
In blending wines, I thought it would be simple, we taste the wines we have and think about what other wine it will go with. However, it was harder than I expected with the bold beautiful wines I received for blending red wines and each wine has its own unique character. In the process of blending wines, I have learned that you must have something in mind you like to pair it with, whether meat, fish, dessert, brunch, etc. If not you will be stuck and don’t know what you will be aiming for. Another is if you want it to be complex or not, or if you want it to be sweet, dry, and/or acidic.
As for my dish, I wanted to pair it with a subtle red wine that would wash down smoothly with the lamb steak and ratatouille without being too bold in taste and overpowering the dish. I blended 80% of the Cabernet Franc and 20% of the Merlot. The Cabernet franc had less oak, nice sweetness, and just the right amount of acidity that is creamy on your tongue and wasn’t overpowering at all. The Merlot was a bit too bold but it had a hint of cherry and much of an oak taste and aroma. I added the merlot to the cabernet franc because I just wanted it to have a bit more oak for the aroma with the taste of cherry. Overall, my final blend came out how I wanted it to be subtle, creamy, oaky aroma, sweet cherry taste and not overpowering.
