Veraison

It's always worth enjoying a refreshing walk through the vineyards, regardless of the season, and every time of year offers different landscapes. Now the lush vines are starting to change to different hues: it's time for veraison, when the grape bunches begin to change color.

A moment of fundamental importance for winemakers, who carefully and constantly monitor this phase.

Veraison, in fact, is not just a visual phenomenon, but indicates the beginning and evolution of fruit ripening, with the migration of sugars from the shoots to the berries and the accumulation of malic and tartaric acid, as well as the development of pigmentary substances in the skins: white grape varieties, in fact, go from the green of chlorophyll to yellow and golden hues, characteristic of carotenoids; black grape varieties develop anthocyanins, responsible for the deep red and purplish tones, as well as powerful natural antioxidants.

The timing of veraison varies depending on the grape variety. In our valleys in Strevi, Brachetto is the first to change color.

Farming tradition counts about 40 days from the beginning of veraison until harvest. And, although modern techniques allow us to start harvesting the grapes at the most opportune moment, veraison nevertheless marks the beginning of the countdown: another Marenco harvest, the hundredth, is about to arrive.