We have been monitoring the Brix readings for all of our varieties, Auxerrois, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay clones 76 and 96, in order to determine the appropriate time for harvest. I didn't take the readings on specific days, so note to self, next time, be more consistent!
But, here are some of the data plotted for our Chardonnay:
From the above plot, it appears that there is a plateauing of the sugars for about a 2 week period before the sugars begin to increase.
Selecting a harvest date according to the Brix level, or the quantity of sugar per berry is only one of the indicators.
Other indicators include:
- titratable acidity, malic and tartaric acids
- pH
- berry tasting
- tannins
- anthocyanins
Other considerations include impending weather conditions and the availability of harvest field hands (read friends). If the Brix reading for the Chardonnay keeps on increasing at one Brix per day, harvest for that variety could be in the next few days.
My husband looked at my graph and expressed a little disbelief that the Brix were rising again. It could be that the Chardonnay is going into the over ripe phase. My "excuse" is that this charting is not as rigorous as it should be. I'm on a learning curve.
Reference:
1. Alain Deloire,
The concept of berry sugar loading.
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