Vino In My Dino

Veraison Pt. 2

September 1, 2014 16:02

Last month I talked about veraison, a key moment in the vineyard when the grapes start to turn color, develop and ripen. I thought it would be fun to follow the same vines over the next couple of months as they get closer to being harvested. The first photos were taken on July 11. I sent Ed out to take photos on August 11. You can compare the two here and see what a difference four weeks makes in color and size. We have had near-perfect conditions for the third year in a row and are happy with the quality we are seeing on the vines. We were out tasting the grapes right around the time of the photos with Lance, our vineyard manager. When discussing our picking philosophy he said “while we rely on taking samples (from different areas of each vineyard and testing them at the winery for sugar, acid and pH) it is actually tasting the grapes I find most important when deciding to pick.” It becomes second nature to know when the grapes are ready. Just ask John or Jim—they’ve been tasting these grapes longer than any of us here.

Veraison Comparison


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