August is an exciting time and a bit of a race in the vineyards! It's all about Veraison and a big scramble to protect the grapes! Bears and birds and turkeys and deer start smelling grapes after veraison happens. They are pretty good at concocting ways to get grapes before we do!

Veraison is a critical stage in the life cycle of wine grapes. It's the transition from growing to ripening. Before veraison, all wine grapes are small, hard, highly acidic and green-colored from the presence of chlorophyll. When veraison starts, the vine starts to transport its energy from roots into grapes. Red varietals begin gaining their red, blue or black pigment. White grape varietals turn from opaque solid green to transparent see through green.

After veraison, grapes begin to dramatically increase in size as they accumulate sugars, glucose and fructose and start to develop aroma compounds. Acids continue to fall and sugars continue to rise until the grapes are perfectly in balance and ready to be harvested.

Vignole Veraison turning from opaque to transparent

Veraison serves as a clear indicator that harvest season is approaching. We carefully monitor this stage to determine the optimal time to pick the grapes. Harvesting too early or too late can result in wines that lack balance or have undesirable characteristics.

Vintage 2024 has so far seen the biggest drought in 130 years here in Virginia. Winemakers love the dry weather for their crops but July weather got a little ridiculous even for winemakers. We dry farm all of our vineyard crops, meaning we never water the vineyards. Grape vines dig their roots deep into the earth to get their own water, which works well for vintners most of the time!

Within 70 days from veraison all of our grapes will be making you some magnificent vino!

August 1st — Happy 75th birthday Carl!