Robb Report - Outstanding Wines Make Red Blend Converts

Of all the wine bottles crowded on supermarket shelves, those that fall into the category vaguely dubbed “red blends” have been flying off the fastest for quite a while now. People just can’t get enough of these unrelated-grape mashups. Many of those supermarket red blends are generic free-for-alls, devoid of any distinctive character—no purpose visible for why the disparate grapes got together in one bottle. You’re left to wonder perhaps they were left over from making other wines or simply created from the cheapest grapes on the bulk market. But a contingent of winemakers on the West Coast aims to break those rules for good reason—blend across tradition for intentional effect—at a quality level well beyond those lower market shelves. In the right winemakers’ hands, even grapes that wouldn’t seem to play well together can create a whole that’s bigger than the sum its parts. Innovators in Washington and California have used a mélange of grapes to layer flavors and textures to create exceptional wines you’d never confuse mass market red blends. Here are seven of our favorites.