For team #3, the final blend that we have decided on was a combination of 80% of the first Chardonnay, along with 20% of the second Chardonnay. Craig and I wanted a nice and light white wine that would pair well with the creamy Béarnaise on top of the fatty broiled salmon, something more towards a lighter to medium body with a slight acidity that can cut well through the thickness of the dish.
Originally, our plan was to start off with 85% of the oaked Chardonnay, with 10% of the non-oak Chardonnay, and 5% of the Riesling. Upon tasting the first and original blend, the flavor profile of the wine was quite there but not exactly what we were looking for. The acidity was a bit low, with a buttery feel and taste on the palate, somewhat opposite of what we would have liked the wine to do. We then started adjusting the blends by eliminating out what each wine was doing to the blends, and adjusting accordingly to the reactions. We went from increasing the Riesling to completely eliminating it on the 5th try. We also played around with the effects of the Chardonnay, as we noticed the acidity fluctuated in measurable amounts, even though the original base wines did not differ much. Sad to say, it took to the 6th and final attempt for us to finally settle down with a blend that we thought would pair well with our dish.
Throughout the entire blending process, we realized that creating a blend of wine that matches the exact expectations of what you would like the wine to be like will have to take a lot of patience and creativity. What one would expect the outcome to be from a certain wine is not guaranteed at all, and the slightest minor adjustments can reveal the biggest surprises. This emphasizes the saying that every little detail can affect the taste of wine, from the soil all the way to final blending stage (if any, of course).
I am happy you found a blend that fit the food you are pairing with and, yes, every detail counts!