Vineyard Diary

We have "veraison" in the Twin Vines vineyard. No - it's not a disease! Veraison is defined as the stage when grapes begin to gain color - red grapes that is. It happens in late summer/early fall and is a sure fire sign that harvest is not too far away. It is a sign that the internal chemistry of the grapes is turning from mostly acid to mostly sweet. As grapes develop in the vineyard, the green-acid taste (you'll know what I mean if you have ever tasted an underripe grape) diminishes as acid levels drop. At the same time, the sugar levels are rising. Harvest occurs when the sugar and acid levels are in balance - leave the grapes on the vine too long and not only will they be super sweet (which can lead to fermentation problems as the alcohol levels get too high), but the low acid levels in the grape can make the resultant wine taste "flabby" - it has no punch, and will not hold its own when served with food for example.

In the Twin Vines Vineyard, the Cabernet Sauvignon is leading the way, and the Cab vines are displaying bunches of grapes containing a mixture of green and pink. As these grapes ripen of course, they will all turn a deep purple color.

We'll be sure to take some snaps soon and post them on this site.

Steve Wetherill
Escafeld Vineyards
Jolon CA