Definition: Grape ripeness

Physiological stage of the vine. A distinction can be made between physiological maturity, which corresponds to the moment when the seeds are ready to germinate, and technological maturity, which is what the winegrower is looking for. Technological maturity corresponds to optimum quality, which depends on the grape varieties and the desired wines. This stage corresponds to the moment when the composition of the grapes is optimal for the wine that will be produced from them. The optimum ripeness index determines the date of the harvest. The winegrower closely monitors the decrease in acidity and the increase in sugar content. When these changes stabilise, depending on weather conditions, the difficult decision to harvest must be made.