Field Note Friday: Tasting Grapes, Chasing Flavor

Field Note Friday – From the Winemaker in the Vineyard

We’re entering one of the most critical parts of harvest prep: sampling grapes. Every morning, I’m out early (sometimes before the fog lifts) pulling berries from vineyard blocks and tasting, tasting, tasting.

Sure, we measure sugar, acid, and pH levels, but those are just the starting point. The real decision comes down to flavor. You can’t make great wine from grapes that aren’t ready, no matter what the numbers say. I always say we can deal with high sugars in the winery if we need to, but we can’t add flavor that didn’t show up on the vine.

Mendocino County's diurnal swing, those wild 40+ degree temperature shifts between daytime highs over 100 and cool 55-degree nights, always works in our favor. The heat builds sugar, while the cool nights help retain natural acidity and allow flavors to deepen slowly and beautifully.

By the end of harvest, I’ve usually eaten so many grapes I can’t even look at the ones my wife brings home from the store. But right now? I’m savoring every berry, waiting for that perfect moment to call the pick.

Thanks for being part of this season with us. Every bottle starts here, and I can’t wait to show you what this vintage becomes.

– Hoss Milone, Winemaker

Highlights from this week’s Field Note Friday:

• We’re sampling grapes daily to decide the ideal harvest time.
• Sugar, pH, and acidity guide the process, but flavor drives the final call.
• Diurnal temperature swings (100°+ days, 55° nights) help balance ripeness and acidity.
• Hoss personally tastes berries from every block before making the picking decision.
• Flavor can’t be added later—you only get one shot at picking it at its peak.
• After weeks of sampling, Hoss jokes: “I hate grapes that aren't fermented.”