July brings a sense of anticipation to the vineyard as the growing season begins to transition toward harvest. The vines are full of developing fruit, and the first signs of veraison appear as the grapes begin to soften and turn color, giving hints of the vintage to come. Our warm days and cool nights help the fruit mature with an even ripeness. We monitor the vines closely this time of year carefully weighing the options of irrigations, crop thinning, and leaf pulling as we make the last of the decisions in the vineyard before harvest. The vineyard is entering on of the most rewarding stages of the season with harvest right around the corner.