The grapes change colour (early August).

“Veraison” is the name of the phenomenon that occurs in early August, marking the end of the growing season for the vine branches and leaves. It is the time when the grapes change colour and the sugar content of the grapes increases sharply.

The midway stage of veraison, as with flowering, is another indicator that helps calculate the theoretical date for harvesting. Usually, harvesting takes place 45 days after the midway stage of veraison.

After veraison, the grapes start to ripen. During the ripening period, many changes take place in the grapes:

• in the pulp

- the sugar content of the pulp (juice) increases regularly to over 200 g/l, aided by massive photosynthesis in the leaves,

- the acidity of the pulp decreases, improving the taste of the grapes, which lose their “green” flavour. The decrease is due to the combustion by the high summer temperatures of the malic acid in the pulp.

Good weather conditions during the ripening period make for a well-balanced, very sweet and moderately acid juice at harvest time.

• in the grape skins

- there is an increase in the quantity of anthocyanins which are responsible for the colour,

- the tannin content increases; tannins give the wine its structure and their astringent flavour diminishes during the ripening period.

• in the pips

- the quantity of astringent (“hard”) tannins in the pips decreases during the ripening phase.

very year, depending on the weather conditions, the grapes are picked as ripe as possible, with sweet and only slightly acidic juice, skins rich in anthocyanins and rounded, smooth tannins and pips low in hard tannins.