Month:
October
Key
Activity: Harvest (Chardonnay)
Key
color: Red, color of leaves turning color
Key
Vine Stage: Ripening – sugar accumulation in berries
Fruit ripening is
the final stage in the growing season. In grapevines, sugar is
actually produced in grape leaves and then it translocates (i.e.flows)
from the leaves to the berries.
After
a long growing season (although they seem to pass more quickly
each year), harvest time has arrived. The challenge is to pick
when the sugar and flavors have reached an optimum level. This
decision is largely dependent on the weather, which along the
coast can vary. In October, one day can be 95° and the next day
the vineyard is 60° and draped in cool fog. Various factors are
considered in making the decision to harvest: sugar and acidity,
the look of the fruit, the flavor of the juice and threatening
weather.
The
Regan Chardonnay can ripen to 25 Brix, which translates approximately
to an equivalent percent sugar. All clusters are handpicked and
loaded into half-ton bins (poor quality fruit is sorted and thrown
out). The grapes are immediately shipped to the winery and crushed.
These vines are done for the season!
Sincerely,
John Bargetto
Director of Winemaking
January:
Continuous Pruning
February:
Pruning of 24,000 grapevines
March:
Dormant sulfur spraying
April:
Discing
May:
Shoot removal
June:
Leaf Pulling
July:
Shoot Positioning
August:
Thinning
September:
Sugar Testing (Brix) of Berries
October:
HARVEST!
November:
Fertilizing
December:
Erosion Control
