Journal | August 8, 2025
Véraison
Véraison is one of the many French words adopted by English speaking winegrowers. It refers to the change of color in red grapes and the beginning of the all-important ripening stage. This is the only time that we can see ripeness.
Each year when 50% of the black grapes in any given block turn color the date is noted. We now have decades of data. Comparing veraison dates with past vintages and then looking at actual harvest dates helps us plan for the start of this year’s harvest. Right now it is looking pretty average. We could start with Sauvignon Blanc the second week of September and then move on the Chardonnay. However, the weather over the next month can make predictions unpredictable. Hot and dry will accelerate ripening. Cool and wet will slow everything down.
At Linden, the Cabernet Sauvignon is our best indicator. We have multiple blocks. Each planting can have different soils, vine age, clones, slope aspect and even row directions. Veraison varies considerably block to block. Knowing this can also help when it comes to picking decisions as we may prioritize earlier picking in certain blocks where veraison was more advanced.
When about 80% of the berries turn color we also consider ripeness uniformity. Ideally all the berries in each block turn color at the same time. This is an important indicator, especially for red wine grapes. If the tannins in the skins are uniformly ripe the wines will have a better chance of being supple and finessed. This is especially true with Cabernet Franc which tends to ripen unevenly in some years. In vintages where the ripening is uneven, the finish in the wines could potentially be rustic and coarse. All of this is considered when making crush and fermentation decisions.
So what about vintage 2025? We are finally drying out. No measurable rain in three weeks, but with lots of water reserves in the soil, the vines are only now slowing down their vegetative cycle. This could lead to a slightly uneven veraison. We’ll have a better sense of this over the next ten days as the beginning of veraison has now started.
Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Hardscrabble Journal: August 8, 2025