July in Napa Valley is a time for long, warm sunny days that melt into cool summer evenings – perfect for cooking, entertaining and sipping wine outdoors. For the grapevines, July is also a time of rapid development, bringing us closer to the grand finale of harvest. In early July, the berries (grapes) grow rapidly in a stage referred to as bunch closure. By the third week in July, the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc berries begin to soften and slightly change color, a process called veraison. Veraison occurs a few weeks later for red varieties, when they begin to change color from green to red. After veraison, most of the plant’s resources are directed from leaves, shoots, and roots to the berry for rapid sugar accumulation. This is when the grapes begin to gain many of the varietal characteristics that will be found in the ensuing wine. By late July, there is an air of excitement around the vineyard in anticipation of harvest, less than one month away for early-ripening varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Vineyard activities in July include training young vines and hedging established vines. Vines that were planted or budded in early spring are removed from their growth tubes (these protect young plants from vertebrate pests) and tied to the stake. This will become the trunk of the vine. Hedging involves cutting off the tops of the vine growth. This reduces shading of the grape clusters and reduces the vine’s production of foliage. By removing the tips of the vine, the top buds are eliminated - the top bud has dominant hormones that will not allow lower (lateral) buds to grow. The vine is now forced to focus energy on pushing lateral buds and ripening the grapes, rather than producing more foliage.

Along with these activities, our vineyard team begins preparation for harvest. Vehicles are serviced, gondolas (bins for transporting grapes) are painted, and picking trays are washed in anticipation of the rapidly approaching harvest season.

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