And just like that Veraison has started. Donna has been a gardening and landscaping fanatic this year and the yard shows it. Beds are cleaned and mulched, hoses and watering cans are getting fully utilized, flowers are blooming, and the first tomatoes are popping. This morning during a break in her twice daily watering routine she took a walk over to block 13 in the vineyard (a 2001 planting of 114 Pinot noir on Riparia Gloire rootstock and always one of the first blocks we pick) and found the first berries exhibiting Veraison (color change). They may have been lavender in color but they are a harbinger of things to come; ripening. The berries will grow in size, begin to produce sugar, and ultimately the acid that has been protecting them from animals will drop. The next month on will be all about managing, to the extent we can, the ripening process with the weather in mind so we can harvest grapes at what we consider the perfect time. It is an exciting and occasionally nail biting time and we love it. No doubt, you’ll be hearing more later…