Blaze The Trail

We are very excited to bring to you the latest installment of 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:

What is the best Redwood Creek wine to eat with fish caught out of a mountain stream. What is the best wine to eat with rabbit? (from jordan3000)

Good question, with the mountain stream fish, go with the Sauvignon Blanc or the Chardonnay.
With rabbit I find that Merlot pairs really well.

What effect does the level of tannins have on the taste of wine? (from katsuz)

Tannins equate to structure in the wine, more tannin, more structure (mouthfeel).

What would be a good table wine to serve with a simple beef dinner? (from mtschour)

Try our Redwood Creek Cabernet; this should pair well with your beef dish.

I just tried a variety of wine called Tempranillo. I liked the taste of it. Is there an American variety that would be similar? (from tds0711)

Try our Pinot Noir; the two varieties are similar in profiles.

Why does my wine sometimes taste better the day after I open it? (from yankjet)

You have incorporated a bit of air into the wine and it has “opened up” releasing some of its bound aromatics.

I am a newbie when it comes to wine. But I love merlot. I can't seem to find a dish that goes well with the dark, rich, and earthy taste. Do you have any suggestions for a pairing of Merlot and fish? My husband loves salmon, but I think Merlot may be too rich for salmon. (from mysmom2001)

You are right, Merlot will over power the salmon in most cases.  Try our Redwood Chardonnay with the salmon dish it will pair much better.

When a wine is said to have "legs", what does this mean and why is it important? (from eric214)

After you swirl a glass of wine, the liquid that slowly runs down the inside of the glass is referred to as “legs”.   It gives you a sense of the alcohol and glycerol content in the wine.  It is important because these two things add to the mouthfeel or weight of the wine.  The slower the “legs” flow the more viscous the wine feels on the palate.

As a recently-turned 21 college student, I know only a bit about wine that I learned in hospitality class. As a beginner, what are the basic "must-knows" when choosing, buying and trying wine? (from ropescourseman)

My best advice here is “experiment” try many different wines and you will soon find your own style liking.

I just purchased a set of stem less wine glasses because I liked the look. And because I have set a stemmed wine glass down and broke it. Are there any advantages or disadvantages to using stem less? (from muffin60)

Not really, personal preference, where it does make a difference is in the shape of the glass.  Try this, take your favorite Redwood Creek wine and pour it into 3 or 4 different shaped glasses and see if you can notice a difference.

Exactly how much of the grapes in a bottle must be from a vintage year to be considered "vintage"? (from hopjm)

85 percent

What is the sediment in wines? Sometimes I see it, should I drink wines with sediment? (from blashe55)

I assume you are talking red wines; it is polyphenols (tannins) and colour that have dropped out of the wine during bottle aging.  Just decant off the sediment and enjoy.

Do you have a question for Cal or Sean? Don't forget to head on over here and ask your most burning wine related questions.