grape puberty

Its been too long since I’ve written anything-

Not due to lack of stuff happening- actually I’ve been working my little winemaking fingers to the bone. In the last month or so, I barely get a chance to get the basics covered; like eating, sleeping and bathing. And I won’t even talk about laundry.

So the first I’ll give an update on the grapes. The 2006 grapes are starting veraision, although not 50% yet. Veraison (ve-ray-zon):The phase of growth where the grape begins to turn color and the sugar begins to form.

One might ask- but don’t you grow Chardonnay? That’s a white grape, right?

It is indeed a white grape. Actually they look green, but at veraison, the color goes from lime green to a more golden green tone. The skins thin, the grapes soften, and the flavors gain some sweetness; although the grapes are still quite tart yet.