Every year, something amazing happens in the vineyard around the end of July and the beginning of August. The grapes start to change from adolescent green to their more mature red.
Not all the grapes do it at once, though. They do it individually, as though some are ready to venture into adulthood while others want to remain within their cocoons of green. Thus, for a short period each season the vineyard is littered with green and purple clusters, each individual grape waxing ripe on its own terms and time.
This striking process is dubbed veraison, a French word that signifies when grapes change color.
It really means a lot more than that, though. It exudes anticipation. It means harvest — it means fall, and that this year’s vintage is getting closer with each day.
Veraison is one of the best times of year to visit your local vineyards. It is beautiful just to walk among the ripening grapes. Each cluster has its own array of green, ruby red, and deep purple.
It is usually short-lived, though. The youthful grapes become jealous and don’t take long to catch up — it doesn’t usually last more than a couple of weeks. Within these couple of weeks, though, the grapes increase significantly in size and take a sizeable jump in development. They also become softer, as they change from green to purple.
With just a couple of months before harvest, veraison marks the beginning of the most exciting time in the wine world. This is the best time to venture out and wine taste or take a vineyard tour. We have so many opportunities for vineyard tours in our area, it’s difficult not to take advantage. Cheers!
Austin Twohig is a certified sommelier and partner in The Santa Cruz Experience, which conducts winery tours in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Contact him at [email protected].
