Blending Most of AVV’s wines are blended. We blend two or more grape varieties or two or more clones of the same variety. We also blend grapes grown in different vineyards. After a vintage has aged in a variety of barrels, blending adds the nuances of various oak types, ages and cooper’s styles to the wine. These techniques are essential in creating complexity and life in a wine. “I start looking at blending options in February following harvest,” says Kevin Hall. “The longer the blend has to marry, the more seamless the wine becomes.” In addition to his routine use of these blending techniques, Kevin will often choose a particular fermentation technique for a specific block of grapes — contributing dimension to the final blend. His historical perspective with our grapes allows him to predict how certain varietals will enhance each blend. This knowledge, combined with his innate talent yields incredible continuity in the flavor profile from vintage to vintage, with one minor change – the wines just keep getting better and better.
