• Verasion

The extremely hot, dry summer has hastened the ripening of the grapes. The adjacent picture, taken August 17, shows Pommard-clone pinot noir clusters at the start of verasion, just as they are starting to change colors. Verasion, which can take up to two weeks, signals the start of the ripening phase of grape development. It also means you can stop worrying so much about powdery mildew and start thinking about birds, yellow jackets, and other potential pests that are attracted to the ripening grapes.