Color's Breaking Out All Over

Too Much Techonology in Winemaking?It's veraison time! We're getting reports of the beginning of veraison from all over the place. Although it's too early to call, it feels like it's going to be a year like 2004 where everything ripens at the same time... I'm guessing that the end of September through early October is going to be a very hectic couple of weeks. Veraison is also the marker where we start to get really, really excited about harvest. Grapes start to turn from sour to sweet and you think about the absolutely phenomenal wine you're going to make this year. If you think backwards from when you're statistically likely to kick the bucket, then it puts the importance of each harvest in perspective. I'm 41 and statistically will live another 36 years. Maybe that sounds like a lot, but think if you only had 36 games of tennis or golf matches to become your best. So while we all have a blast each harvest, it's also a couple month time where we want to cram as much learning as possible and make the best wines possible. OK, I'm up to Napa today to check in on Shikon, Stagecoach, Ink Grade, ToKalon and Dr. Crane. It's an all cab vineyard day. After spending the past couple months hunched over project plans and Crushnet QA tests, I'm ready to get out!...Michael