Origins of Rose

The fruit is ideal. I was looking for a brix (the measurement of the sugar levels in the grapes) of between 22 and 23 which is exactly what we measured when the grapes arrived this morning. That should yield a wine with high acidity, which is what we are seeking in a rosé as well as lower alcohol levels.

 

In total, we received about 58 tons today, Sangiovese, Chardonnay and Zinfandel. Less than half of what we'll see when things really get pumping. So far, the weather has been great, but we're all a bit wary of the heat that is supposed to spread through this week. There's a small window that could really cause problems. In truth, if it hits 100, as the reports are predicting, that wouldn't necessarily be so bad. The grapes go into a self-protection mode and shut down.  But a couple of days in the 90s would take us in another direction, pumping up the sugar levels to beyond where we want them.