A balanced wine is a wine where the various element of the wine-fruitiness, tannins, astringency, sweetness-are meshed harmoniously so that no one element overshadows the others. It is a wine the flows seamlessly from the entry thru the mid palate to the finish.
Blending is a very creative activity that I really enjoy. I taste different wine lots individually to assess their character, and then imagine how they would taste together and what proportion of each lot would make the most interesting wine. Having thought this through, I start an iterative process of blending and tasting to progressively reach the most harmonious wine.
Blending usually allows one to create more complex and complete wines. Some lots impart a big, rich entry while others have a strong finish. Similary, some lots can be very fruity but soft while others are tannic but not very aromatic. Each of these lots can be unbalanced on their own. By blending them together in precise proportions the individual parts can complement each other. But blending is not a sure bet; it is an art.
