WINE-MAKING IN CALIFORNIA. 331 



by the experimenter, as no uniform rule can be given to cover 

 the differences which location, soil and climate may make in 

 the composition of each. 



Zinfandel will blend successfully with many varieties, as it 

 has sprightliness, good flavor, and abundance of acid, but 

 lacks fullness, smoothness, and in many locations, color. 

 Lenoir, Chauche Noir and Mondeuse, also Petit Bouschet 

 are good varieties to blend with it. A very fair guide for 

 blending in the fermenting vat the next season, is to ferment 

 each variety separately, and then making tests in a glass, say 

 for instance, when you have separate samples of Marsanne 

 and Herbemont, or Clairette Blanche, take four glasses, one 

 with pure wine from each, and mix in the two others; take 

 for instance one half Marsanne, one half Herbemont, and pour 

 them together, changing them from one glass to the other, 

 until they are thoroughly mixed. Then compare the mixture 

 with each of the pure samples, and see whether it suits your 

 taste better than either of them alone. If yet too full, try 

 one-third Marsanne, two-thirds Herbemont; if too acid, two- 

 thirds Marsanne and one-third Herbemont, always mixing 

 well, and comparing with the pure samples. A little practice 

 will soon enable you to find the right proportions, and when 

 you have determined on these, you are not very apt to go far 

 wrong in fermenting them together the next season; and the 

 same practice will enable us to successfully blend what we 

 already have. Sometimes, three varieties can and ought to 

 be used to make a successful blend. For instance, for the 

 celebrated Chateau Yquem, three varieties are used, the 

 Semillion, Sauvignori Blanc, and Muscadelle de Bordelais. 

 But in making these tests, they can only be of value when the 

 different wines are in about the same stage of development. 



Again, it may become desirable to blend the product of 

 two vintages. One may be full and rich, the other light and 

 sprightly. The same procedure will show us what to do 



