The veraison, when? What for? You bet.
Veraison is a key moment in the wine season because it marks the beginning of the ripening phase of the grapes, the last step before the harvest.
In our regions, it takes place around mid-August in a “normal” season. This year, on August 1st, we are right in the middle of it.
What’s going on?
This heralds an early harvest. Probably around September 10, even before according to the conditions.
The principle
In the evolution of the wine season, the vine will first grow, bloom and grow its fruits.
Veraison is the stage that allows the vine to switch to a different mode of operation. It stops growing and concentrates on accumulating sugar in the grapes.
What is observed at veraison:
- The skin of grape berries is refined
- It becomes translucent for white grape varieties and is coloured for red grape varieties
- Berries begin to become sweet
- Their acidity begins to decrease
This is the path to fruit maturity, a crucial step in the development of wines.
Red grape during veraison, the berries begin to color
