2017 Veraison in the Vineyard

As I pulled into the parking lot the other day, the vineyard rows were catching my eye a little more than usual. Every day I am fortunate enough to work directly from our Red Mountain tasting room, with that I get the joy of watching the vineyard change and grow with each day.

On this day, I noticed Veraison was taking place in the vineyard. Veraison is the change in color of the grape berries or the ripening of grapes. It’s the turning point in the grapes lifecycle, meaning it’s the moment the grapes begin to form sweetness. Up until this point the grapes are highly acidic. As Veraison is taking place sugar levels rise and the grapes begin to grow and turning them into juicy fruit clusters that make our favorite wines. After this point, we have anywhere from 30-70 for the grapes to become fully ripened, giving us a small countdown as to when harvest might begin. Then, it’s all about balance!  

on the varietal, Veraison takes place at different rates. We also keep a close eye on the temperature as it could result in sunburnt grapes. Trimming the canopy and ensuring the vines are properly shaded, all while being exposed to the sun helps this process. As we see warmer temperatures on Red Mountain we need to ensure the acidity and sugar levels are in balance and the fruit is ripening at the desired rate. During Veraison white wine grapes are a yellow hue and red wine grapes are shades of red and purple. On your next visit to Red Mountain take a step out in the vineyard and look at the vines and watch the change!