Big, fat aromas of cassis, blackberry, and plum with traces of vanilla and cedar. Textured, full-bodied and larger-than-life. Limited time offering.

90+ Cellars Big Red Blend - California

Med Bag of Chips

Ham, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard in a whole wheat wrap.

Fit Turkey Wrap

Chill the component wines slightly (to ~15°C / 59°F) so they are stable for blending. Pour the measured volumes of Cabernet Sauvignon (375 ml), Merlot (200 ml), Petit Verdot (100 ml), and Malbec (50 ml) into a sanitized, inert container (glass or stainless steel) large enough to hold at least 1 liter.

Prepare base wines

Add the 1 tsp of medium-toast aged oak chips to the combined wine to impart cedar/vanillin notes. Add 1 tsp vanilla bean extract and, if using, 0.25 tsp food-grade cedar steep to enhance cedar character. Stir gently to incorporate, taking care not to aerate excessively.

Add oak and aromatic elements

Allow the blend to rest in the sealed sanitized container for 24 hours at 15–18°C (59–64°F). This short integration lets oak and vanilla notes marry with the fruit without over-extracting. Smell and taste after 24 hours to assess balance.

Rest and integrate

If you prefer a slightly richer perception of sweetness, add up to 5 ml of simple syrup (room temperature) and gently mix. If you will store for longer periods or want microbial stability, add the recommended small dose of potassium metabisulfite (follow product instructions; the ingredient list shows 1 mg as a placeholder—use proper dosing guidelines). Stir gently and wait 1–2 hours, then re-taste.

Adjust sweetness and stability (optional)

Taste the blend for fruit intensity (cassis, blackberry, plum), tannin grip, acidity, oak and vanilla. If the blend needs more structure, add small increments (10–20 ml) of Cabernet; for roundness add Merlot; for color and plushness add Malbec or Petit Verdot in 10–20 ml increments. Make adjustments in small steps, stir gently and rest 1–2 hours between adjustments.

Fine-tune balance

Once satisfied with balance, allow the blended wine to settle or rack off any sediment (optional: cold stabilize at 0–4°C for 24–48 hours). Siphon the clarified wine into a sanitized 750 ml bottle leaving minimal headspace. Seal with a cork or screw cap.

Clarify and bottle

Age briefly (optional): For a more integrated profile, let the bottle rest horizontally for 2–8 weeks in a cool, dark place. This will allow the oak, vanilla and cedar traces to harmonize with the fruit.

Decant and serve: For larger-than-life aromatics and textured palate, decant the wine for 60–90 minutes before serving to open the cassis, blackberry and plum aromas. Serve at 16–18°C (61–64°F) in large-bowl red wine glasses.

Pairing suggestions: Serve with braised short ribs, mushroom ragù, grilled ribeye with herb butter, or aged cheddar to complement the full body, ripe dark fruit, vanilla and cedar notes.

Cabernet Sauvignon wine (base)

Merlot wine

Petit Verdot wine

Malbec wine

Aged oak chips (medium toast)

Vanilla bean extract

Food-grade cedar steep (optional)

RS adjustment (simple syrup, optional)

Potassium metabisulfite solution (for stabilization, optional)

Bottle (750 ml) + cork or screw cap

Decanter

90+ Cellars Big Red Blend

fresh baked cookies

sharEable apps

grilled cheese sandwiches

house-made fries

raw oysters

This red blend is very aromatic with hints of raspberry, black cherry, and spice. It has some nice juicy tannins and a short finish that does not linger.

Paxis Red Blend

Make 90+ Cellars Big Red Blend Recipe in just 3h . Big, fat aromas of cassis, blackberry, and plum with traces of vanilla and cedar. Textured, full-bodied and larger-than-life. Limited time offering.

90+ Cellars Big Red Blend Recipe

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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