Countdown to Harvest!
Greetings from Atelier Winery!
It’s been quite some time since our last update. At Atelier our motto is to “share and enjoy in good company.” This saying pertains to our wine as well as sharing experiences regarding the wine country lifestyle. In the next few weeks you’ll receive a few updates from Atelier as we share our harvest experience with you.
15, 17, 18.5, 20, 22.5, 23… the countdown to harvest is well underway. This may not look like the typical countdown you’ve seen before. These numbers are the degrees Brix (a measurement roughly equivalent to % sugar) contained in the grapes. We’ve been monitoring the vineyard throughout August and September in order to select the optimal time to harvest. There are many other factors as well that determine the ideal time to harvest grapes for winemaking. As grapes mature, the sugar increases, acidity decreases, the seeds turn from green to brown, flavors become more intense, the skins of red grapes yield color when crushed and the skin may subtly start to slacken or dimple. All these factors along with weather considerations and winemaking style determine when we harvest our grapes.
As of this weekend, our Alexander Valley Syrah is looking great. At 23 Brix , the seeds are beginning to brown and get a little crunch to them, and the berries are still nice and full. Harvest is probably 10 days to two weeks away, assuming we get some sunshine and warm weather to ripen the grapes and accumulate a couple more degrees Brix. Stay tuned for more on the Atelier harvest as events unfold…
To learn more about Atelier Winery, see our website at www.atelierwinery.com
It’s been quite some time since our last update. At Atelier our motto is to “share and enjoy in good company.” This saying pertains to our wine as well as sharing experiences regarding the wine country lifestyle. In the next few weeks you’ll receive a few updates from Atelier as we share our harvest experience with you.
15, 17, 18.5, 20, 22.5, 23… the countdown to harvest is well underway. This may not look like the typical countdown you’ve seen before. These numbers are the degrees Brix (a measurement roughly equivalent to % sugar) contained in the grapes. We’ve been monitoring the vineyard throughout August and September in order to select the optimal time to harvest. There are many other factors as well that determine the ideal time to harvest grapes for winemaking. As grapes mature, the sugar increases, acidity decreases, the seeds turn from green to brown, flavors become more intense, the skins of red grapes yield color when crushed and the skin may subtly start to slacken or dimple. All these factors along with weather considerations and winemaking style determine when we harvest our grapes.
As of this weekend, our Alexander Valley Syrah is looking great. At 23 Brix , the seeds are beginning to brown and get a little crunch to them, and the berries are still nice and full. Harvest is probably 10 days to two weeks away, assuming we get some sunshine and warm weather to ripen the grapes and accumulate a couple more degrees Brix. Stay tuned for more on the Atelier harvest as events unfold…
To learn more about Atelier Winery, see our website at www.atelierwinery.com
posted by David | 10:20 PM
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