Wine Blending At Laguna Canyon April 18th 2015

Ready For An Evening Of Fun? Page One)

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Let The Party Begin!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Come on in... A fun evening awaits you

Did You Know? - Difference between varietals and blends: A standard varietal like Malbec, Chardonnay etc., is made from the same type of grape. Sometimes winemakers will use grapes from different plots of a vineyard or different regions for a varietal, but they are all the same type of grapes.

In the U.S. a varietal needs to be 75 percent of one type of grape, while in Europe it's generally 80 percent and in Argentina it's 85 percent. It's possible for wineries to add other grapes to a varietal to enhance the elements and still call it a single varietal wine.

Blends are what their name suggests. They typically consist of at least 40-50 percent of one type of grape and a smaller mix of two or more other grapes.

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Setting up was quite a task. Hundreds of glasses soon to be clinking!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Soon sparkling wine will be greeting new arrivals

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Each place setting was ready to go...

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Almost too pretty to eat!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Watch out for the mouse... He looks hungry also!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
We will get underway at 7:30 sharp... How about some sparkling wine first?

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Everybody jumps up and heads for the counter

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Sue had a great seat.... Easy exit and entrance

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Chafing dishes being set up... The kitchen is getting busy!

Did You Know? - A chafing dish (from the French chauffer, "to make warm") is a kind of portable grate raised on a tripod, originally heated with charcoal in a brazier, and used for foods that require gentle cooking, away from the "fierce" heat of direct flames. The chafing dish could be used at table or provided with a cover for keeping food warm on a buffet. Double dishes that provide a protective water jacket are known as bains-marie and help keep delicate foods, such as fish, warm while preventing overcooking.

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Behind the scenes there is a flurry of activity

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
"Why hello there little lady!"

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Donna hits the goodies

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Last minute coordination underway

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Marlowe makes the rounds assuring all his guests are doing well!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Marlowe's "Never Empty Bottle" at work

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Sue and Paul without a camera? (Thank you Bob!)

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Sue keeps an eye on Paul... It's a big job but someone has to do it!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Salad anyone?

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Magnificent chicken and steak!  A great meal!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Beautiful!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Marlowe explains how this evening is going to work...

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
We also get some essential information about "blending wines"

Did You Know? - From a commercial standpoint the primary function of blending is to help the winery keep a consistent product from bottle to bottle. Blending among the various storage vessels of a particular vintage cancels out any variation created that year from a number of factors, such as differences in vineyards, fermentation containers, and tannin levels in barrels.

The second most common reason wineries blend is to keep their non-varietals consistent from one year to the next. This is a little more involved than blending across a particular vintage. Maintaining consistency within the same vintage requires a limited amount of skill and is almost routine in nature. Keeping non-varitals consistent from year to year requires an ability to taste and blend in an attempt to recreate what was made the year before.

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
The four wines this evening will come from their storage vessels located
in the back room and out front in the oak barrels

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
The plumbing is ready to go!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
A moment of silence before the pouring begins?

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Kathy and Sue have their first tastes well underway

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Salad, Steak, Chicken and Potatoes... Wonderful!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
My wine has legs!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
"I always hold my wine with both hands.... Don't want it to get away!"

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Peggy is looking pretty serious here!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Kathy explains that Ed stayed home... Missing all the fun!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Entirely too much laughing going on here?

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
A little of this and a little of that...

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Marlowe came around several times to answer
questions and make observations

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
He is indeed a Winemaker.... When he talks about the vino his eyes close!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
David and Peggy, new friends, capture the moment

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
"OK... I got it!"

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
A veritable sea of glasses...

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
"I think I want to do a 50/25/25/15 blend.... I know it's hard to
get 115% into one bottle but we will try!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
Fun with friends

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
The blending is now well underway... Mixologists at work!

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
The staff is certainly entertained

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015
We have made our choices

Blending wines at Laguna Canyon Winery April 18th 2015

Sound: "Red Red Wine"

"Red Red Wine" is a song written, performed and originally recorded by American artist Neil Diamond in 1967, included on Neil's second Bang Records album "Just For You". The lyrics are sung from the perspective of someone who finds drinking red wine the only way to forget his woes.