By mid-June, clusters of berries had begun developing throughout Knudsen Vineyard. In the weeks that followed, the fruit continued to evolve, and by late July and early August the berries were about the size of marbles, still fairly firm, and beginning to show the first signs of grape veraison.

What Is Veraison?

Veraison is the stage of the growing season when red wine grapes begin changing color from green to purple. It also signals an important shift within the grapevine: berry growth begins to slow while the vine increasingly concentrates its energy on ripening the fruit.

During this period, sugar levels in the grapes continue to rise. Vineyard and winemaking teams monitor this development by measuring sugar concentration in degrees Brix, along with other indicators of ripeness as harvest approaches.

Left: July 29, 2021. Right: August 5, 2021. Pinot Noir berries begin changing from green to purple as ripening progresses.

Watching the Vineyard Move Toward Harvest

The vineyard is especially colorful during this stage as clusters ripen at slightly different rates throughout the estate. Watching grape veraison progress gives us an early glimpse of how the vintage is developing and signals that harvest is drawing closer.

At the time this article was originally published, guests could experience this stage of the growing season during one of our Vineyard Hikes and learn firsthand how the team checks grape ripeness and measures Brix.

To explore current vineyard experiences and seasonal offerings at Knudsen Vineyards, visit our Experiences page.