Picking date is one of the first big decisions of the vintage.

Sugar rises. Acidity falls. Tannins and flavours develop. Inconveniently, they don’t always move at the same speed.

Pick earlier and you may keep freshness and lower alcohol, but risk greener tannins.

Wait, and you may gain phenolic ripeness while losing acidity and gaining alcohol.

The decision happens in the vineyard. You taste it in the glass.

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