Ripening

(See also: Acid / Acidic / Acidity, Aromas, Grapes / Grape Varieties, Sugar)

From the moment that the grapes on the vine soften and become translucent (technical term: veraison) their sugar content rises and their malic acid content falls. The sugar will be converted to alcohol by alcoholic fermentation and at Gut Hermannsberg as much as possible of the natural acidity will be retained, because it gives the wines their freshness and crispness. However, these are only the simplest processes that occur in the grapes during the ripening process. At Gut Hermannsberg we also closely watch the development of the aromas since they give the wine a lot of its character, and we are also interested in how the tannins (also located in the skins) change because they are an important part of the wine’s structure. For us, character and balance are every bit as important goals as quality. Wine scientists continue to study the complex ripening process of the Riesling grape, in which many of the most exciting aromas are first formed in the skins late in the fall.