The 2020 Flying Winemaker Field Blend White marked the first edition of this label and was described by the team as one of the portfolio’s most ambitious winemaking projects.
From New Zealand’s Wairarapa region, the wine brings together three grapes — Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Riesling — creating a rich, textural white with stone fruit character and a backbone of minerality.
But the real story is not simply what is in the bottle. It is how the vineyard shapes it.
What Is a Field Blend Wine?
Unlike a conventional vineyard planted in separate blocks of individual grape varieties, a field blend comes from vines of different varieties growing together in the same vineyard.
The varieties may be planted in a deliberate mix or, in older vineyards, exist as a legacy of generations of planting. The grapes are harvested from the same site, allowing the final wine to reflect the particular conditions of that vineyard and vintage.
This makes field blends particularly interesting because the proportions can change from year to year.
Yields vary. Growing seasons change. Ripeness levels shift. The vineyard, in effect, takes on a life of its own.
For the 2020 Flying Winemaker Field Blend White, this approach means the wine tells the story of its vintage rather than being locked into a predetermined winemaking formula.
Why Are Field Blends Making a Comeback?
Field blends have a long history.
Historically, planting several grape varieties together offered a practical form of insurance. If weather, disease, or pests affected one variety, others might still produce a viable crop.
Modern viticulture moved increasingly toward precision. Growers wanted to know exactly what they were harvesting and when each variety had reached optimal ripeness. As a result, multi-varietal vineyards became less common.
The vineyards that remain, however, can be particularly fascinating.
Many are old and naturally low-yielding, potentially producing grapes with concentrated flavours and aromas. Their mixed planting also contributes to the sense of authenticity increasingly associated with low-intervention, heritage and traditional winemaking.
From the Douro to Vienna
Field blends are strongly associated with regions such as Alsace and Spain, but perhaps nowhere more than Portugal's Douro Valley.
Portugal is home to an extraordinary diversity of indigenous grape varieties. One striking example is Quinta do Retiro Antigo, owned by Symington Family Estates. The vineyard is planted with vines estimated at 80–100 years old and includes around 40 grape varieties.
As Jorge Nunes, APAC regional manager, explained, fruit from the vineyard is important to the composition of Warre’s Ports, bringing not only concentration from old vines but also a more “wild” element that contributes complexity to the blends.
The concept also has official recognition elsewhere.
Wiener Gemischter Satz, for example, refers to traditional mixed-grape vineyards from Vienna containing up to 20 varieties and is recognised as one of Austria's DAC wine classifications.
Greece offers another historic example. Rapsani, a classic red wine from the foothills of Mount Olympus, is traditionally made from equal parts Xinomavro, Krasato and Stavroto and is the sole wine permitted under the Rapsani PDO rules.
A Wine Made by Place, Vintage and Variety
The appeal of a field blend lies in its unpredictability.
Rather than beginning with a fixed recipe and asking the vineyard to deliver it, the winemaker works with what the vineyard provides. The result can offer a stronger sense of place, vintage and vineyard character.
That is what makes the 2020 Flying Winemaker Field Blend White such an intriguing project: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Riesling come together not simply as three varieties, but as part of a broader story about how vineyards evolve, how traditions survive and how modern winemaking can look back to move forward.
FAQs
What is a field blend wine?
A wine made from multiple grape varieties growing together in the same vineyard.
What grapes are in The Flying Winemaker 2020 Field Blend White?
Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Riesling from New Zealand’s Wairarapa region.
How is a field blend different from a traditional blend?
A field blend comes from varieties planted together in the vineyard, while a traditional blend generally combines separately harvested and vinified varieties.
Why are field blend wines becoming popular again?
They connect modern wine drinkers with old-vine vineyards, heritage practices, low-intervention ideas and a stronger sense of vintage and place.
Where are field blends traditionally produced?
Field blends have strong associations with regions including Portugal's Douro Valley, France's Alsace and parts of Spain, while Austria and Greece also have recognised traditional mixed-variety examples.
What is a field blend wine?
A field blend wine is made from different grape varieties grown together in the same vineyard and harvested as part of the same vineyard system. The proportions can vary with each vintage, allowing the wine to express the vineyard, growing season and character of the site rather than following a fixed recipe.