Wine lover: Harvest is coming

Harvest is fast approaching, and it is certainly the most exciting time of year in the world of the vintner.
Much of the year, the developing wine is hibernating, and the winemaker does little more than taste intermittently and top the barrels while the wine is slowly infused with oak and time. Harvest time is when the vineyards are picked and the grapes come in to be crushed, fermented and pressed. This is the most important time in the life of a wine. It’s the time when a mistake is most magnified, and it’s the time when a winemaker truly shows his or her worth.
This year is a bit of an anomaly. I don’t need to tell you that it’s been exceptionally cold. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. The grapes need the warmth of the sun to become ripe, and this year, that process might take a little longer. The extra hang time for the grapes can promote a more mature ripeness and thus a deeper complexity for what will eventually be wine.
The more mature a grape becomes, the higher its Brix is. Brix is a simple measurement for sugar in a solution (or grape), named for Austrian scientist Adolf F. Brix. The Brix level of any given batch of grapes is exceptionally important, because it will determine the final alcohol content. Most grapes are picked somewhere between 22 and 27 Brix, and the alcohol will be a little higher than half that level. For example, a ton of grapes picked at 24 Brix will make a wine that is 14 percent alcohol or thereabouts.
Brix is only one factor to consider during harvest, though. You must have an acceptable amount of acidity in the grapes, as well. You also want mature tannins. A grape might have the right amount of Brix, for example, but not have mature tannins yet. That is why winemakers want a steady growing season with little interruption from weather, so that all components of the grape can ripen and establish themselves in an equal and balanced manner.
Two of the major problems that can arise with a longer growing season are cold snaps and rain. If your grapes are at 18 Brix and an early storm comes through, you’re in big trouble. The grapes can freeze on the vine or develop mold because of the moisture. This year has the potential to be quite good, as long as it warms up a little and we can stay away from the early storms.
I encourage everyone to visit the wineries during harvest. It is the most interesting and appealing time of year, and if you’re looking to learn something about winemaking, you most certainly will. 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 au****@th********************.com.