Winemaker Lingo

VERAISON: The sweetening of flavors, softening of the berries and the color change of grapes on the vine, indicating the onset of ripening.

BRIX: The scale winemakers use to measure sugar quantity in grape berries or juice. Winemakers use Brix as one way to determine ripeness.

TANNINS: Extracted from grape seeds and skins, tannins taste astringent or chalky and add body and structure to wine. 

TERRIOR: The combination of soil, climate and all other factors that influence the ultimate character of a wine.

Napa Valley Fun Facts

• 95% of the Napa Valley wineries are family owned

• Only 4% of California’s wine grapes come from the Napa Valley

• Napa Valley was designated as an American Viticultural Area (or AVA) in 1981 - the first in California

• It takes about six to eight clusters of grapes (2.4 lbs) to make a bottle of wine

• An annual average of 892 million gallons of wine is consumed in the United States alone, cheers!