Last weekend I was invited to my very first wine blending party organized by Thea Dwelle (@winebratsf) and hosted at Conn Creek Winery!  The group consisted of myself, a small group of passionate wine bloggers and together each of us blended our very own wine using the fruit from the best AVAs in the Napa Valley.

The AVA Room at Conn Creek Winery

In case you’re wondering, AVA means American Viniculture Area and Napa Valley is full of them.  AVA’s are used to help identify the soil and taste characteristics that are unique to each particular valley.  In this one room, Conn Creek Winery skillfully provides premium Cabernet Sauvignon wine from the 14 major sub appellations; giving us the perfect opportunity to clearly discover what appellation we love most.  Not only did I learn more about my personal taste in red wine; I also had the choice to make a classic Bordeaux blend by adding Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec or Petit Verdot.

Featured Appellations: Carneros, Oakville, Yountville, Spring Mountain, St. Helena, Rutherford (Conn Creek Estate), Altas Peak, Rutherford (Hozhoni Vineyard), Chiles Valley, Stags Leap District, Mt. Veeder, Oak Knoll, Calistoga (Fredriani Vineyard), Calistoga (Surber Vineyard), and Howell Mountain.

My Experience

I really enjoyed this process because it helped identify the taste of each appellation and expand my wine vocabulary.  I’m a big fan of Rutherford Cabernet’s so my goal was to create a blend that represents the valley’s rich supple fruit in the aroma, on the palate and in the finish.  To do so I chose to blend 90% Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc for a solid structure and 5% Merlot for a nice soft finish.  Special Thanks to Mark Buckley (@spiritandwine) for recommending the Merlot.  I tried it first with Malbec but that wine was so deep and rich that it just eliminated the big Rutherford tannins.

I left Conn Creek with a bottle of my first blended red wine and feeling confident in my abilities to describe fruit flavors and identify the different AVAs that embody this beautiful Napa Valley.  If you’re interested in sharing this experience give Paul Asikainen a call at the winery. 800.793.7960 x215.  He’s the Guest Services Manager and can answer all your questions.  Cheers!

More Wine Bloggers that Participated

Eric Hwang (video footage!), John Corcoran, Emma Criswell, Liza Swift & Xandrea P., Marcy Gordon, Valerie Pink Bunny Ears, Danica Sattui (Blog Coming Soon!)