Chardonnay Verasion

Our Hanna Chardonnay has begun to ripen. The reward for critters who would be eating the soon to be ripe fruit, is sugar.  The allure is aroma, which is developing now behind a still searing acidity  The crop is good, and the weather has been great so far.  We like to pick this block on the ripe side.  It will be on the vine another two months before reaching perfect maturity.

  

The Vanguard

I walked two Rows of our new Malbec Vineyard in Alexander Valley Thursday afternoon and found only these four berries had begun the transformation from sour, hard and sugarless peas into the sweet, intensely colored delicacies we will harvest in two months. Malbec is usually the first of the Bordeaux varieties to begin verasion. This color change gives winemakers a jolt, reminding us that crush is near.