Intelligent Compromise, with a side of Angst
As with many of the important things in life, there is only one chance to get it right. This is most certainly the case with our wine grape harvest. If I don’t plan it perfectly, I will have to wait another
year to try again, to achieve our, admittedly, lofty standard.
It’s really a perfect symphony of many factors that determine harvest. Sugar (measured in Brix) is often the first mentioned, but it is only one part of the balance equation – of equal importance is acid. Rarely are acids mentioned.
The sugar/acid balance must be joined by skin ripeness in the consideration of harvest. Skins contain the colors, flavors, and tannins that give wine the “character,” and thusly, enjoyable. Also of importance is seed ripeness, especially in wines that will see alcoholic maceration, as is the case in most structured reds. And, finally, the ripeness of the stems must be considered, as it is sometimes desirable to include the stems in the fermentation.
Simultaneous ripeness of these many grape constituents is something seen only in perfect. “vintage” years, and contrary to popular opinion, vintage years are rare in California. Instead, the winemaker is tasked with intelligent compromise, and this is the dilemma. How do we consider all of these variables in order to determine the optimal time to harvest the grapes?
I learned an invaluable way in which to visualize ripeness, from a seminar given by a visiting winemaker at Davis. It consists of a table with the ripeness variables in the far left column, and a breakdown of ripeness of each berry component in terms of under ripe, borderline, and optimal ripeness. Sugar and acids, things you can measure, are easy to place into the table. Some wineries measure skin ripeness with spectrometers, but I have always felt the human palate is better at defining skin ripeness. Seeds are categorized according to color and whether the pulp is attached – you get the idea.
Above, I have placed the ripeness table for our Pinot Noir grapes that we intend to harvest for our Rosé. Not all components are perfectly ripe, so I must compromise. For a Rosé, the seeds and stems are of little importance; the stems will be removed, and the seeds will be pressed off before fermentation. The sugars and acid are the most important in crafting our Rosé, the skins less so. And, in creeps Angst, foiling my sleep. Should I wait to get a touch more skin ripeness, yet risk going overripe on the acids, or do I harvest now? I will have yet another sampling today; by tonight I will know.
