Almost there...
Each Monday or Tuesday for the last few weeks I have been doing field sampling: picking grape samples and testing sugar and acid levels. Each week the fruit ripens a bit, and as it does, the sugar level rises. The warmer and sunnier it is, the faster fruit ripens, and Lompoc has been warm for the past few days.
To test the fruit, we pick a sample of roughly 10 pounds of grape clusters. This is collected in a 5 gallon plastic bucket. The fruit is crushed by hand and allowed to soak for about 15 minutes. Then, we strain off the skins, stems, and seeds and put the juice through 3 tests. First, a sample is poured into a graduated cylinder and the sugar level is measured with a hydrometer. This is basically as complicated as measuring the temperature with a thermometer. Second, a drop of juice is placed on the viewing window of a refractometer, which is used as a second measurement of sugar level. Typically, the readings from the refractometer and hydrometer are very close to each other. Finally, a pH meter is used to test the acidity of the juice sample. This is a digital instrument that we first calibrate, and then we simply place the probe from the meter into the juice sample and read the pH on the display.
Ripeness, as measured by sugar content, is the primary determinant of harvest date. Typically, Pinot Noir is harvested around 24.5 "degrees brix" (the scale used to measure sugar content in juice) and some of the vineyard is now up to 24 degrees brix, meaning harvest could start in as little as a few days. If the weather is as forecasted (mild/sunny), we will begin full-scale harvesting early next week. This is good news as I'm eager to get busy making wine!
For the last few weeks I have been doing occasional farming, pest control, and field sampling, but not much related to winemaking. I have been working out a lot at the gym and riding my mountain bike a lot, and watching a lot of football and movies (the Packers really suck). I'm also trying to plan my post-harvest trip to Europe, and I'm trying to figure out where I'm going to move next. San Francisco is a leading candidate.
I wish I had more exciting stories to tell, but life in wine country is pretty simple and slow...
Cheers!
To test the fruit, we pick a sample of roughly 10 pounds of grape clusters. This is collected in a 5 gallon plastic bucket. The fruit is crushed by hand and allowed to soak for about 15 minutes. Then, we strain off the skins, stems, and seeds and put the juice through 3 tests. First, a sample is poured into a graduated cylinder and the sugar level is measured with a hydrometer. This is basically as complicated as measuring the temperature with a thermometer. Second, a drop of juice is placed on the viewing window of a refractometer, which is used as a second measurement of sugar level. Typically, the readings from the refractometer and hydrometer are very close to each other. Finally, a pH meter is used to test the acidity of the juice sample. This is a digital instrument that we first calibrate, and then we simply place the probe from the meter into the juice sample and read the pH on the display.
Ripeness, as measured by sugar content, is the primary determinant of harvest date. Typically, Pinot Noir is harvested around 24.5 "degrees brix" (the scale used to measure sugar content in juice) and some of the vineyard is now up to 24 degrees brix, meaning harvest could start in as little as a few days. If the weather is as forecasted (mild/sunny), we will begin full-scale harvesting early next week. This is good news as I'm eager to get busy making wine!
For the last few weeks I have been doing occasional farming, pest control, and field sampling, but not much related to winemaking. I have been working out a lot at the gym and riding my mountain bike a lot, and watching a lot of football and movies (the Packers really suck). I'm also trying to plan my post-harvest trip to Europe, and I'm trying to figure out where I'm going to move next. San Francisco is a leading candidate.
I wish I had more exciting stories to tell, but life in wine country is pretty simple and slow...
Cheers!
posted by Andrew Weber at 10:49 AM
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