Is it ever right to blend red and white wine?

To the Editor,

I very much enjoyed Jonathan Hesford's article on wine snobs, geeks and quaffers – a real laugh-out-loud piece. 

It was great fun attributing the various idiosyncrasies not only to friends but also myself. 

Reference to wines with humorous names struck a chord as a favourite local restaurant offers a sauvignon labelled ‘What the Phoque?!’ Although the label has a picture of a seal, as so often in France everything depends upon the pronunciation.

S. R., Pas-de-Calais

To the Editor,

Thanks for the lovely article on wine blending in the October issue.

Less a quibble than perhaps a good pub quiz question: Mr Hesford writes that “one form of blending that is prohibited in Europe is the blending of red and white wines to make rosé”. 

He continues: “French rosé is always made from lightly macerated red grapes, sometimes with the addition of white grapes, but never from finished red and white wine.”

Very true - but one wine may legally be made in France by blending red and white liquids: rosé Champagne.

A.B., by email

Jonathan Hesford replies: In fact, many rosé AOP wines allow white grapes to be used in the blend. For example Cotes du Roussillon rosé may include Macabeu and Grenache gris. Cotes de Provence rosé allows Vermentino, Semillon and Ugni blanc. 

There are no rules on whether they should be pressed separately or together with the red grapes, therefore the blending of red and white is allowed in rosé production, within the percentage limits of the permitted grape varieties. 

It is the indiscriminate blending of red and white juice or (especially) finished red and white wine that is prohibited.