"Sampling for Success" Go from passive taster to active winemaker during the critical weeks leading up to harvest. This program demonstrates how field sampling, sugar accumulation tracking, and sensory evaluation dictate the exact day a vineyard is picked.
This TASTE (Terrior, Artisanal, Small, Trusted, Engagement) experience showcases the fine line between scientific precision and artistic intuition.
In the Rows
Starting in designated estate blocks equipped with sampling bags and data sheets to collect a statistically representative field sample.
The Randomization Challenge: Focusing on why picking the closest, most beautiful grape ruins data accuracy. We will walk a grid pattern, alternating sides of the row and selecting clusters from different canopy heights (top, middle, and shaded interior).
The Representative Berry Count: Sampling individual berries from the top, shoulder, and tip of a single cluster. Highlighting that berries exposed to afternoon sun ripen differently than those facing north or buried behind leaves.
The Composite Sample: Combining the collected berries into a single bag, gently crushing them by hand to create a homogeneous juice blend for testing.
The Field Lab
In this step we will transform raw field data into actionable winemaking metrics.
Refractometer Calibration: Using both optical and digital refractometers we will calibrate the instruments using distilled water, showing how to read the Brix scale (sugar concentration).
The Brix Reading: By placing drops of fresh juice onto the prism, we will record the sugar levels, learning that a single degree change in Brix can shift a wine's final potential alcohol level by roughly 0.5–0.6%.
The Acid & pH Factor: A brief demonstration on sugar data is balanced against pH and titratable acidity (TA). While sugar acts as the engine for fermentation, natural acidity provides the wine's lifespan and freshness.
September 5th, 2026
12PM-3PM
$75 Includes vineyard picking decisions, sensory analysis, flight of finished wines from blocks we sampled.
Private Events
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Party size
1 ticket