NV12 Cain Cuvée Blending Chart
Above is a chart of the components and timeline for blending the NV12 Cain Cuvée.
Why Blend?
There are at least two reasons: One would be to create uniformity—so that every bottle is the same, year-in, year-out—as with all mass-market products. Another would be to build complexity and specificity, while finding harmony and balance.
Guess which one we pursue at Cain?
Our Cain Cuvée epitomizes the virtues of blending. Year after year, working with the same vineyards, nonetheless, each bottling is distinct, unto itself, and yet clearly part of a family.
Blending of wine has a long and venerable history. In some categories of wine, for example, Grand Cru Burgundy, single vineyard, single variety, and single vintage are the standard. In others, such as First Growth Bordeaux, varieties are often blended, and vineyards can be sufficiently scattered that they, too, become a blend. But, outside of Champagne, blending of vintages has become a rarity.
With the Cain Cuvée we explore all the facets of blending, while holding to the highest ideals of complexity, balance and beauty.