What is a wine blend?

If you have ever wondered why a Bordeaux is made from several grape varieties while a Burgundy uses just one, you have stumbled onto one of wine's great philosophical divides: blending versus single-variety winemaking.

A blend (assemblage in French) combines two or more grape varieties, vineyard plots, or even vintages to create a finished wine. The idea is that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon brings structure and ageing potential, Merlot adds roundness and fruit, Cabernet Franc contributes elegance and perfume, and Petit Verdot offers extra colour and spice. The winemaker adjusts the proportions each year based on how each variety ripened.

Some of the world's most famous wines are blends. Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the southern Rhône is permitted up to 13 different grape varieties. Non-vintage Champagne is a blend of multiple years — Krug's Grande Cuvée, for instance, can include up to 120 base wines from 10 different vintages.

But blending is not just for traditional European wines. In the New World, so-called 'GSM' blends (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre) from Australia's Barossa Valley, and 'Meritage' blends from California (Bordeaux-style blends made in the US), show how the concept travels across continents.

At the other end of the spectrum are single-variety wines — Burgundy's Pinot Noir and Chardonnay being the most famous examples. These wines focus on the pure expression of one grape in one specific place.

Neither approach is inherently better. Blending is like composing an orchestra — the skill lies in harmonising different instruments. Single-variety winemaking is like a solo recital — every note is exposed, and the performer (the grape) has nowhere to hide.