How to Run a Bench Trial for Fortified Wine Blending
If you are blending fortified wine in a home barrel, bench trials are one of the most important tools you can learn. A bench trial is a small test blend you do before topping up your barrel. It helps you choose the right wine and the right ratio, so you can improve your Muscat, Topaque, Tawny, or White Fortified with confidence.
At Stanton and Killeen, we use bench trials as part of our everyday blending process. The good news is you can do the same thing at home with a few simple tools.
What is a bench trial
A bench trial is a small-scale blending test done on your kitchen bench. You take a sample of your current barrel wine, then add measured amounts of a topping wine to see how different ratios change flavour, texture, sweetness, and complexity.
Bench trials are common in professional winemaking and are just as valuable for home barrel owners. They help you avoid over topping, prevent dilution, and make smarter blending decisions.
Why you should do bench trials before topping up your barrel
Once you add wine to a barrel, you cannot take it back out. Bench trials let you test a change before committing to it. This is especially important with older barrels and higher tier blending wines, where small additions can have a big impact.
Key benefits of bench trials for home barrel blending
Protects years of progress
If your barrel is already mature, adding too much young fortified can dilute aged characters and make your wine taste younger. Bench trials help you avoid moving backwards.
Helps you find the perfect ratio
The difference between a gentle improvement and a major style shift is usually the ratio. Bench trials show you exactly how much to add.
Improves consistency
Recording your bench trial ratios means you can repeat successful blends and build a consistent house style over time.
Saves money
Topping wines are an investment. Bench trials reduce trial and error and help you buy and use blending wines with purpose.
Builds confidence
You learn what your barrel needs and how different wines influence your blend.
What you need to run a bench trial at home
You do not need fancy equipment. A simple setup works.
- Clean wine glasses or small tasting cups
- A measuring tool, like a syringe, measuring spoon, or small jug with ml markings
- A notepad or phone to record ratios and tasting notes
- A sample of your barrel wine
- A sample of the topping wine/s you are considering
Optional but helpful
Small jars with lids if you want to test multiple blends side by side
How to do a bench trial step by step
Step 1
Take a barrel sample
Pull 100ml to 200ml from your home barrel. This is enough for several test blends.
Step 2
Choose your blending goal
Before you start, decide what you want to improve.
Do you want more age and complexity?
Does the wine feel flat and need freshness?
Do you want more richness, length, or depth?
Is your blend too sweet and in need of structure?
Step 3
Start with a base measure
Pour 100ml of your barrel wine into a glass so your ratios are easy to calculate.
Step 4
Add topping wine in small increments
Start with 5ml to 10ml of topping wine. That is a 5 to 10 percent trial, which is a safe place to begin.
Taste, then adjust
If it is improving but needs more, add another 5ml and record the new ratio.
Step 5
Record your winning ratio
Write down the exact blend that tastes best.
Example
90ml barrel wine plus 10ml topping wine
That is 10 percent topping material
Step 6
Turn your winning bench trial into a real barrel top up
Your bench trial tells you the percentage of the new topping wine you want in your barrel. To achieve that, you need enough empty space in the barrel to add that amount of new wine.
Key idea
The percentage you want equals the amount of new wine you add, as a percentage of your barrel size.
So, if you want 15 percent new topping wine in a 20L barrel, you need to add 3L of the new wine. If there is not 3L of space, you simply draw down some barrel wine first to make room.
How to do it
-
Choose your target percentage from your bench trial
-
Work out how many litres that equals for your barrel size
-
Check how much empty space you have
-
If you do not have enough space, draw down some wine first
-
Add the new topping wine, then top up with your barrel wine if needed
Quick guide
New wine litres needed equals barrel size times your target percentage
Example
20L barrel, target 15 percent
20 times 0.15 equals 3L new topping wine
What if your barrel is already too full?
Sometimes you might need to draw down a little wine first, so you have room for the top up. That is completely fine.
Draw it down and keep it in a clean glass bottle. You can use that wine next time you need a top up or simply enjoy it now. Another great idea is to keep a small bottle as a snapshot of where your blend was at this point in time.
If you keep that bottle and taste it side by side with your barrel wine in 12 months, you will be amazed at what a year in barrel can do.
Why sample bottles make bench trials easier
If you are unsure where to start, samples are your best friend. We now offer 250ml sample bottles across our full Liquid Luxury range, as well as sample packs that include the core styles. This means you can test with small amounts first, work out what your barrel responds to, then purchase the wines you decide on later.
It is also worth knowing that sometimes the best result does not come from one wine alone. Many great blends are built by layering one, two, or even three different wines to achieve balance and complexity. This is exactly why bench trials matter. You do not want to be chucking wine into a barrel and hoping for the best. A thoughtful trial helps you work out your ratios, nail the balance you love, and then add to your barrel according to your winning blend.
Bench trial ratios and why they matter
Ratios control how much your barrel changes. Smaller additions are for fine tuning. Larger additions can shift the entire style of your wine.
Why too much young fortified can be a problem
Young Muscat or Topaque brings sweetness and fresh fruit. In a mature barrel, adding a large amount of young material can dilute aged characters like rancio, old oak, spice, and dark toffee notes. This can make a wine that took years to build taste younger and simpler.
This is why mature barrels often need older topping wine. Bench trials help you choose an appropriate ratio so you build complexity without losing balance.
Common bench trial mistakes to avoid
Changing multiple things at once
Trial one topping wine at a time so you understand what it does.
Not measuring
Even rough measurements are better than guessing. Measurement makes blending repeatable.
Going too big too fast
Start with small percentages. You can always add more.
Not writing it down
Bench trials are only useful if you keep a record of what worked.
Want help with your home barrel blending plan
Every barrel is different. Age, ullage, storage, topping history, and personal taste all matter. If you want a clear plan, book a blending consultation with our winemaker in person at Stanton and Killeen or online via Zoom. For Zoom consultations, you will need to send a sample ahead of time so the advice is tailored to your barrel. You can find out more here.
If you get into the habit of bench trials, your barrel wine will improve faster, stay more consistent, and taste more like something uniquely yours.
