Field Note Friday – From the Vineyard
This week, I wanted to dive deeper into veraison. We’re walking the rows daily, watching one of the most exciting shifts in the vineyard. Veraison is when the grapes begin to turn color, soften, and transition from berry growth to sugar accumulation. It’s when the vines stop focusing on growing grapes and start ripening them.
Veraison doesn’t hit all at once. It moves through the vineyard like a wave, cluster by cluster, vine by vine. Walking out there now, you’ll see a mix of colors in every cluster of reds, and the greens softening in the whites.
The pace and conditions of veraison shape a lot about the final wine. This year, we’re seeing a slower, more even veraison, thanks to cooler-than-average days (mid-80s to low-90s) and beautifully chilly nights (mid-50s to 60). That’s a blessing for flavor development.
Fast veraison in extreme heat can rush ripening, leading to sugar before flavor, making wines that are hot, simple, or out of balance. But this slower, more gradual shift gives the berries time to develop color, structure, and complex aromatics without sacrificing acidity. That’s how you end up with wines that are vibrant, age-worthy, and layered.
We’ll keep watching closely, but if the weather stays reasonable, 2025 is shaping up to be a vintage with some serious potential.
Thanks for being part of this journey with us! More to come soon.
Cheers,Len Brutocao
3rd Generation & Vineyard Manager
Highlights from this week’s Field Note Friday:
- Veraison has begun: grapes are softening and turning color
- Cool days and cold nights are slowing the process, in a good way.
- Slower veraison = better balance between sugar, acid, and flavor
- Heat speeds ripening, but can flatten flavor if too fast
- 2024 shaping up to be a beautifully balanced vintage so far.
Checking in on the Merlot grapes we talked about a couple of weeks ago...
The vines are looking healthy. We are seeing the color shift in the merlot, which is typically behind Pinot Noir but ahead of Zinfandel (remember, veraison happens in waves throughout the vineyard). Two weeks in the vineyard show us a lot of change at this time of year.
Image 1: July 23rd, 2025 - Early signs of Veraison
Image 2: August 6th, 2025 - Veraison in full swing, many shades of green, pink, and purple throughout the clusters.
White Wine Grapes During Veraison
Most of the time, when we think of veraison, we think of red wine grapes transitioning into deep purple. But in Chardonnay, the change is less visible. The berries shift from that hard, bright green to a softer, almost golden hue, almost the color of the first light of sunrise.
That’s when you know the vine has stopped growing the berry and started ripening it. The skins thin, the juice softens, and the flavors begin their slow climb toward those crisp apple, pear, and lemon notes we love. You won’t see the fireworks of color, but trust me, plenty is happening under that pale skin.
Image 1: Chardonnay beginning to go through Veraison. Darker green, thicker skins just starting to thin out.
Image 2: A Chardonnay cluster post-veraison, showing golden color, thin skins, and juicy berries.
A note about the wines
Our Brutocao Chardonnay is 100% barrel-fermented and sur lie aged in French oak, with every barrel hand-stirred every two weeks. This hands-on care builds a silky, creamy texture and layers of crème brûlée richness, while secondary fermentation brings out vibrant tropical fruit instead of heavy butter. The result is a beautifully balanced Chardonnay, elegant, lush, and distinctly Brutocao.
Our Brutocao Reserve Chardonnay begins as our Brutocao Chardonnay; we take a portion and set it aside for extended aging in our favorite French oak barrels. The extra time and hand-selected barrels create a richer, smoother wine with a touch more oak, yet still beautifully balanced with vibrant fruit. A superb food wine, elegant from first sip to last.
