Throughout the process of making wine there are lots of options and choices in how to craft a wine into the style and vision a winemaker so chooses. Whether to age the wine in oak or stainless steel, how long to age the wine, what yeast to use, and how long ferment the wine are just a few of the decisions a winemaker makes. However, the biggest decision a winemaker makes is when to pick the grapes. This one singular decision has more importance and impact on the wine than any other decision a winemaker can make. To make that decision there are a few very important factors to take into consideration. Sugar level, acidity, and flavor profile are the three main factors that contribute to the overall ripeness of the grapes. The level of ripeness is constantly changing on a daily, if not hourly basis. As the grapes are developing through the ripening process the sugar levels increase and the amount of acidity decreases, and determining when to harvest is all about finding the balance between those two aspects. If the fruit is picked too early is lacks flavor and is overly acidic. If the fruit is picked too late it becomes over ripe and lacks acidity. This is a time of year that we are testing and monitoring the fruit from every vineyard block with a close eye trying to determine the exact right time to make the call and harvest.