What Veraison Means for Wine & the Vineyard
Derived from the French word véraison, meaning the onset of ripening the term reflects the transition from the berry growth to maturation. It is characterized by visible, physical, and chemical changes in the berries, which have profound implications for crop quality and ultimately the wine produced.
How Veraison Changes Grapes and Helps Produce Wine
Profound visible and chemical transformations occur throughout berry development largely fed by the products of photosynthesis and environmental conditions. The process typically kicks off with the berries soften allowing them to swell, and their texture becomes juicier, signaling their progression toward harvest. The accumulation of sugars, reduction in acidity, and generation a suite of flavors, textures, and aromas occurs in all varieties.
Red wine varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir, berries change color from green to red or purple, driven by the accumulation of anthocyanins. White wine varieties, such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, shift from green to a more translucent or golden tone as carotenoids develop, offering a glimpse of the flavors to come. This color transformation is just the start.
For both red and white cultivars, polyphenols - a class of compounds including tannins and anthocyanins - also accumulate post-veraison fulfilling important roles e.g. wine texture, protection against oxidation / aging potential, flavor, and color. Herbaceous notes from compounds like methoxypyrazines diminish, making way for more fruit-forward character. This natural shift in flavor and bouquet attracts animals, which aids in seed dispersal—a trait that is as beneficial in nature as it is a challenge for farmers, who must now protect their crops from eager wildlife.
Influence of Climate on Veraison
The timing and duration of veraison vary based on environmental conditions, impacting the overall anatomy of the grape.
- Cooler climates delay veraison, resulting in more acid and less sugar, potentially limiting complex flavor development. Some flavors prominent in white grapes are preserved in cooler climates.
- Warmer climates expedite the process, allowing more time to develop intricate flavors, colors, and bouquets. This difference necessitates careful monitoring by to winegrowers prevent premature or uneven maturation.
Typically, harvest occurs around two months after veraison, but several factors—such as climate, cultivar, and sunlight—determine the exact timing. Winegrowers must closely monitor the ripening process to strike the right balance between all physical and chemical aspects ensuring optimal quality.
Agricultural Importance
Veraison marks a shift in priorities on the farm. Many farmers fine-tune irrigation to promote ripening and optimize yield and flavor. Daily monitoring of soil moisture and careful management of irrigation systems become a priority to maintain plant health without promoting overly vigorous growth. Farmers may prioritize site-specific irrigation, nutrient management, and canopy adjustments based on real-time data (such as NDVI, soil moisture, sub-block characteristics), ensuring that each section of the vineyard reaches optimal ripeness together.
Farmers may remove specific leaves around the grapes to allow filtered light and airflow to reach the fruit, enhancing color development in red grape varieties, supporting phenolic maturity, and reducing the risk of fungal diseases.
Farmers increase their monitoring of pest and disease pressure and may adjust their pest management strategies, focusing on safe, minimal-intervention methods to protect grapes.
Farmers begin sampling grapes more regularly to track sugar content, acid levels, and phenolic maturity, especially in high-value wine grape varieties where balance and complexity are crucial. By measuring these parameters daily or weekly, they can make informed decisions on irrigation and yield adjustments and canopy management.
Bird netting, sound deterrents, and visual scare tactics may be employed daily to deter wildlife from consuming or damaging the crop. These deterrents require regular adjustments and monitoring, as animals often adapt to static deterrents over time.
Veraison signals the need for careful planning, including securing labor and logistics for transporting grapes promptly to the winery. This preparatory work is essential to streamline operations once harvest begins and ensures grapes are picked at peak maturity.
The Lifecycle of Wine Grapes: From the Field to the Winery
Each year, grapevines nurture their crop meticulously through distinct phases, each contributing uniquely to the quality of the fruit. Understanding these stages helps viticulturalists and winemakers produce grapes that reflect the full potential of their terroir and desired wine profile.
‍1. Initiation (The Year Before)
Flower formation starts the season before fruiting, during the bud development phase. This process begins with inflorescence (cluster of flower) initiation in the buds. During this phase, the plant forms tiny inflorescences in latent buds for the following year. This is influenced by multiple factors such as light exposure, temperature, and plant hormonal signals. Since next year's flowers overwinter in each bud, ensuring full plant acclimation, maintaining pest-free conditions, and minimizing cold temperatures are also a huge part of a farmers agenda. When winter arrives, the job of a farmer does not end.
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2. Flowering (Late Spring to Early Summer)
Late spring / early summer are when bloom occurs, blossoms pollinate, which initiates fruit formation. Successful pollination during this phase determines the number of grapes that will form. Wine grapes are largely self-pollinating however, weather and vineyard management play a critical role. For example, frost, rain, or improper irrigation during flowering can disrupt pollination, reducing yield.
3. Fruit Set (Early Summer)
Fruit set follows pollination. For self-pollinating grapevines, fertilization happens within each hermaphroditic flower (having both male and female parts), allowing the plant to produce fruit without needing cross-pollination. After successful fertilization and fruit set, the berries are hard, green, and sour until veraison.
At this point, each inflorescence that undergoes fruit set will likely be picked. The percentage of flowers that successfully develop into berries is often referred to as fruit set percentage. A high fruit set percentage results in fuller clusters, while a lower percentage can lead to looser clusters. Both outcomes have quality implications for wine and are managed depending on the winemaking goals.
4. Growth (Mid-Summer)
The berries enter a rapid growth phase, with cells dividing and expanding. This period forms the first stage of what is known as the "double sigmoid growth curve." During this time, water uptake and nutrient availability play critical roles in supporting proper fruit formation.
5. Veraison (Onset of Ripening, Late Summer)
Veraison marks the transition from growth to ripening.
- Color Change: Red grape varieties shift from green to deep purple or red, while white varieties turn golden or translucent.
- Softening: The berries become softer as they accumulate sugars, and acidity begins to decline.
- Balance: Sugars such as glucose and fructose increase, contributing to the wine’s alcohol potential, while malic acid breaks down, leaving tartaric acid as the dominant acid.
This phase is critical, as uneven ripening and fruit set—also called millerandage—can lead to inconsistent wine quality if not managed properly.
6. Ripening and Harvest (Early Fall)
After veraison, the berries continue to mature, developing more complex flavors and aromas. Depending on the climate and grape variety, harvest typically takes place about two months after veraison. Timing is essential; wine made from grapes harvested too early may lack sweetness and depth, while late-harvested grapes may be overripe, resulting in flat or unbalanced wine.
How Verdi's Technology Supports Grape Development from Flowering to Harvest
Managing grapevines throughout their lifecycle requires precise control over water, nutrients, and environmental conditions. Verdi’s advanced agricultural management tools are designed to help growers optimize each phase of grape development ensuring healthier vines and higher-quality fruit.
1. Precise Water Management for Flowering and Fruit Set
During flowering and fruit set, the plants need stable water levels to ensure proper grape maturity and high yields. Verdi’s Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) allows farmers to adjust water delivery to different irrigation zones, ensuring optimal hydration despite differences in soil type or topography​​.
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2. Automated Irrigation for Even Berry Growth
Maintaining consistent water supply is essential during the rapid growth phase. Verdi’s Block and Micro-Block Controllers enable precision irrigation, ensuring that every plant—regardless of its location—receives the ideal amount of water. This minimizes variability across vineyard blocks and supports uniform development​​.
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3. Optimizing the Veraison Stage with Real-Time Monitoring
Veraison is one of the most delicate phases, requiring careful management to achieve even maturation. Verdi’s platform integrates soil moisture sensors, NDVI imagery, and weather data, giving winegrowers actionable insights into the state of their farms. This data-driven approach ensures even ripening by adjusting water and nutrient delivery dynamically based on vine needs​​.
- Line Break Detection: Verdi’s system detects issues such broken irrigation lines in real-time, preventing water delivery failures​.
- Vine-Specific Irrigation Strategies: With Verdi’s technology, farmers can apply different irrigation regimes to individual rows or vines, ensuring that weaker plants get additional resources while avoiding over-irrigation of stronger vines​​.
4. Ensuring Consistency Through Harvest
By reducing variability across the vineyard, Verdi enables growers to pick grapes in a single pass, lowering labor costs and ensuring a consistent flavor profile for the entire crop. Additionally, automated systems reduce the need for manual irrigation adjustments, freeing up time for other critical tasks​​.
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Have questions?
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Veraison marks the transformative stage when grape berries begin ripening, impacting wine's final quality. This process involves changes in berry texture, color, and chemistry, influencing flavor, acidity, and aroma profiles. Climate plays a pivotal role, with cooler regions delaying ripening for higher acidity, while warmer climates enable more complex flavors. Effective management during this stage is critical for achieving consistent, high-quality wine.
Verdi's precision irrigation solutions empower growers to optimize every stage of grape development, ensuring even ripening, improved crop quality, and efficient resource use. If you have any questions on veraison and how it affects your farm, book time with Eugene today.
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