Blaze The Trail

We are very excited to bring to you the first answers from our Winemaker duo Sean & Cal, as they answer questions that you ask them, exclusively here on Blaze the Trail. Do you have a question for Sean or Cal? Ask them anything by submitting your question here.

This week, the answers come from Winemaker Sean:

When making wine, does it have to be made in a controlled climate? (from wendydawn)

Yes it does, whites and pink are fermented at cooler temperatures than red wines.  Our white ferments range from between 55 – 65 F whereas our reds are fermented between 80-85F.

I am new to drinking white wine, what foods go best with white wine; and shall I always serve it chilled? (from cquinn)

I enjoy a nice piece of grilled fish with a white like our Pinot Grigio, or how about a pasta dish with a light cream sauce and our Chardonnay.  I would recommend chilling a white down to about 55 F before drinking.  One thing to remember is there is really no wrong answer when pairing wine and food, it all about your tastes and what makes you happy, have fun experimenting.

What are the different kinds of wood used in the wine barrels? (from hensleylaura)

The wood type is the same, it is oak, but what can change is the region (area) of the world that it comes from and the toast levels that it receives.

We often ask when visiting wineries what type oak they use for the various types of wine. Does it really matter and what characteristics do American vs French vs Hungarian oak provide? (from Dano-wino)

I think so, as a winemaker you always want to balance the fruit with the oak, some oaks lend themselves better to certain varieties.

How long does the average vine live & how long before the average vine produces grapes? (from Jessiebell)

An average vine can make 20 plus years and you need to wait 3 years (or as we say 3rd leaf) before you have any sizable amount of fruit.

I'm fascinated by the vines themselves (as you can tell by my questions) - wondering if height plays a part in choosing varieties, if it makes a difference in the quality - as in more "energy" from the vine goes into height as opposed to grapes....and do they like a more acid soil, sandy, clay....? (from Jessiebell)

This is a great question.  You have hit on what we call vigor, you must always have a balance between vigor (Vine growth or as you called it height) and fruit growth.  A vine needs to have enough canopy (leaves) to ripen its fruit, this is where the balancing act comes into play.

At what time is the yeast introduced and what determines the timing on how long it takes for the yeast to die? (from cad1963)

The yeast is introduced right at the beginning of the process.  It occurs after the grapes are crushed (for reds) and after the grapes are pressed off and solids handled (for whites).  The yeast will start to die when they run out of food (sugar) which occurs around 10 days after ferment has commenced.

What is the easiest thing you have to do in making wine? (from rob4578)

The easiest part of my job is tasting wine each and every day.

Do you have a question for Cal or Sean? Don't forget to head on over here and say hello :)