Wine Blend Spotlight: Mettler Ranch GSM
A beautiful blend of three Rhone varietals: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre. All three of these varietals trace back to the Mediterranean coast and thrive in the Lodi climate. They blend poetically together, each bringing a different flavor profile. Grenache adds a fresh raspberry flavor. The Syrah brings savory dark fruit flavors and a velvety mouth-feel. Mourvedre adds a nice tannin structure and herbaceous aromas. A delicious wine to try!
You can ferment it a number of ways. You can do what is called a “field blend” and blend everything at crush. Or you ferment each varietal seperately. Either way makes a great wine. It all comes down to the equipment you have and the amount of time you have. If you don’t have a lot of storage vessels then doing a field blend is the way to go.
Field Blend Fermentation:
- Crushing and Fermenting: After harvesting, co-ferment the grapes together in the same fermentation vessel. This means that the Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre grapes are all mixed together from the start. The co-fermentation process allows for the blending of flavors and characteristics at the earliest stage.
- Temperature Control: Control the fermentation temperature carefully, as each grape variety may have different requirements. Find a temperature that works well for all three varieties to ensure proper extraction of flavors and tannins.
- Taste and Adjust: Monitor the fermentation process and taste the wine to assess the development of flavors. Make any necessary adjustments, such as adding yeast or adjusting the temperature, to achieve the desired characteristics.
- Aging: After fermentation, age the wine in suitable containers, such as oak barrels or stainless steel tanks. Aging allows the flavors to meld and develop complexity.
- Bottling: Once the wine has aged to your satisfaction, bottle it. Label the bottles with the vintage and the type of field blend GSM.
- Enjoy: Once the wine has aged to your satisfaction, bottle it. Label the bottles with the vintage and the type of field blend GSM.
Creating a field blend GSM wine is a unique approach that requires careful planning and execution in the vineyard. It can result in a wine with distinctive characteristics that reflect the terroir and the synergy of the three grape varieties grown together.
Fermenting the Grapes Seperately:
- Fermentation: Fermenting each grape variety separately helps control the extraction and balance of flavors. Add yeast to start the fermentation process. Pro Tip: Use different yeasts for each batch and you will create even more complexity!
- Temperature: Monitor and control the fermentation temperature. Grenache, for example, generally benefits from higher fermentation temperatures, while Syrah and Mourvèdre might require lower temperatures to preserve their desired characteristics.
- Taste and Analyze: Taste the wines from each varietal to understand their individual characteristics. Analyze factors such as aroma, flavor, acidity, tannin, and alcohol content.
- Blending Trials: Once each wine has completed fermentation and has been aged to your liking, start experimenting with different blends. This is where the art of blending comes into play. Start with small trial blends and make adjustments to the ratios until you achieve the desired flavor profile and balance.
- Age the Blend: Blend the wines together and allow the blend to age in a suitable container, such as oak barrels or stainless steel tanks. The aging process helps the different components integrate and develop complex flavors. *For more information on againg your wines, check out this blog post
- Regular Tasting: Blend the wines together and allow the blend to age. The aging process helps the different components integrate and develop complex flavors.
- Bottle: Once you’re satisfied with the blend and the wine has aged to your liking, bottle it. Make sure to label the bottles appropriately, indicating the vintage and the blend.
- Enjoy: Allow the bottled wine to rest for a period before opening and enjoying. GSM blends often benefit from some additional bottle aging to reach their full potential.
GSM blends are known for their bold, rich, and complex flavor profiles, often characterized by red fruit, spice, and earthy notes. The proportions of each grape variety in the blend can vary, but Grenache is typically the dominant grape, with Syrah adding structure and Mourvèdre contributing depth and complexity. Experiment with different proportions to create your own unique GSM wine blend.
The Mettler Ranch wine grapes are available for purchase every Fall Season. If you are interested in the Mettler grapes we suggest making a pre-order by mid-August. For more information on the Mettler Ranch click here.
We’re here to help when you need it
Musto Wine Grape offers a variety of products as well as services including testing and support. Email sales@juicegrape.com or call (877) 812 – 1137 to speak with someone who can assist you.
How to Work with Anciet Wine Grapes
Our Ancient Vine Wine Grapes come from one of the oldest grape growing regions, Madera County, CA. The grapes were planted close to 80-100 years ago and are being farmed by the 3rd and 4th generations. These are low production and low yield vineyards. They yield 2-4 tons/acre depending on the variety. These berries are small clusters with high concentration of phenols and color. Incredibly concentrated grapes which create a very concentrated and complex wine.
To see a video of our Ancient Alicante Vineyard click the play button below.
Our Suggested Ancient Vine Blend:
60% Alicante, 20% Muscat, 20% Grenache
pictured above – ancient vine Grenache
Yeast Suggestions: 71B, VRB, and D254.
- If you want to make a more fruit forward wine: 71B is a great yeast for fruit forward wines such as Grenache and Alicante. It helps bring out the fruity aromas Grenache and Alicante are known for.
- If you want to make a make a wine with a more balanced ratio of tannin to fruit: VRB yeast is a consistent fermenter that helps bring out the tannins while enhancing varietal characteristics.
- If want a wine with a balance of fruit and earth: D254 is a yeast that helps develops ripe fruit together with mild spiciness while increasing mouthfeel.
- *Please note that we always suggest using nutrients and putting your red wines through malo. Click the links below for more information on Musto Wine Grape’s Fermentation Protocols.
Ancient Grapes Available:
– Alicante
– Carignane
– Grenache
– Barbera
– Muscat
Fun Fact: For a grape to be considered an Ancient Vine it must be 75+ years old. To be considered an Old Vine it must be 35+ years old.
For more information on purchasing ancient vines grapes please give us a call at 877-812-1137 or sales@juicegrape.com.
Rose´ is Here to Stay
Rose´ has become an important part of the wine market. What originally started out as White Zinfandel has transformed into a large and growing wine category made from a lot of different wine grapes. One of the most important grapes used in the production of Rose´ is Grenache.
The Grenache grape is part of the original “Rhone Rangers” crew and one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world (over 500,000 acres planted so far..). It ripens late so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, where the grape most likely originated. Grenache flourishes in the AVA’s such as Central Valley, Fresno County, Lodi, and other Mediterranean–style climates.
Usually a brilliant ruby pink hue with notes of ripe strawberry, orange, hibiscus and sometimes with a hint of ripe peach. You’ll find Rose´of Grenache wines to have moderately high acidity, but most have quite a bit of color and body. Perfect pairing with this wine would be a summer evening and takeout Greek Gyros with dill tzatziki.
Below are some photos of our beautiful Grenache Noir from our newest vineyard- King’s River. They will be arriving in early September. Make sure to put in your pre-order for this Rose´worthy grape!
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