The art of blending,
a bordeaux signature

Why talk about the art of blending?

What elements shape the final composition? 

Every cuvée is born from the marriage of several cépages, parcels or terroirs, each carrying the imprint of its vintage. First, the grapes are fermented separately. Then comes the tasting — note by note, identity by identity — until the expressions that best complement one another can be brought together..

Why choose complexity when single‑varietal wines are so appealing? 

Because blending creates structure and balance. To blend is to showcase each component, to craft a wine in which every element strengthens the whole.

Here, the winemaker — or maître de chai — performs the role of conductor: choosing, adjusting, listening, refining until the perfect harmony emerges. This delicate calibration is what gives Bordeaux wines their soul, their style, their signature — the unique personality of each vintage.

That said, even in a region defined by blending, Bordeaux also produces remarkable single‑varietal cuvées.

Which cépage brings which note?

In Bordeaux reds, a blend reads like music. Each cépage adds its own tone, timbre and nuance.

• Merlot, supple and generous, brings roundness, depth and aromatic richness
• Cabernet Sauvignon contributes structure and tension — the backbone of the wine. It defines the bouquet, shapes the length, and gives power and ageing potential.
• Cabernet Franc adds lift and elegance, softening the whole and introducing bright, subtly spicy fruit.
• Petit Verdot , used sparingly, acts like a bold percussive accent: colour, structure, intensity.
• Other cépages, like Malbec, may join the ensemble, each with its own distinct voice.

Every year, the score is rewritten. Blending is never fixed — it is a living composition shaped by the hands of winemakers and by the whims of nature.

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How climate shapes the blend

Year after year, weather patterns influence ripeness and expression:

A warm year may produce a fruity, low‑acid Merlot. A cooler year may yield a refined Cabernet Sauvignon with lighter colour

Blending then becomes a strategic response to the vintage, allowing winemakers to:

• Maintain the estate’s signature style.
• Highlight the strengths of the vintage
• Balance or soften elements influenced by climate

Each cuvée is imagined, tasted and refined to reflect the best expression of its terroirs, cépages and vintage.

Blends for every palate ?

You’ve likely heard of first, second and third wines in Bordeaux’s grands châteaux.

The idea is simple: 

First wines are the estate’s flagship cuvées — often produced from the oldest vines and crafted to be complex, structured and age‑worthy.

Second and third wines typically come from younger vines on the same terroirs and are blended to offer fruit‑forward, supple, approachable cuvées — enjoyable young and gentler in price.