The Calm Before the Storm: Vineyard Update

It is mid August and things are eerily calm for this time of year. The cool weather all summer has slowed down ripening and most of our fruit is just now going through veraison- fully two weeks behind "normal." Normal is in quotes because, after all, we are talking about the weather!

The answer to whether this is a good thing or a bad thing is, like so much of winemaking: it depends.

Slow even ripening of the fruit is clearly a big plus- it promotes more complexity and flavor and without the loss of acidity that can happen with very ripe fruit.

On the other hand, many growers are worrying whether the fruit will ripen sufficiently before the October rains start. Picking in the rain is obviously no fun and can be bad for the grapes- the roots will take up the water and can dilute the flavors by pumping water into the grapes.

For winemakers there is also the question of getting the fruit in and made into wine. If it all ripens at once, winemakers will be working round the clock. Winemakers hope the grapes will ripen at different times to be able to handle the flow. But we have to play the cards that Mother Nature deals us . The next three to four weeks will determine all of this!