Veraison doesn’t just signal a visual transformation in the vineyard—it also marks a change in how we manage the vines through the final stretch of the growing season.
As Co-Winemaker and Vineyard Director, Vince Hewett explains:
“Veraison is here, and with it a little smoke drifting in around the Pacific Northwest—always nerve-wracking, since this is the stage vines are most vulnerable to smoke taint. The silver lining is that as smoke travels, its reactive compounds break down along the way, so unless a fire is right on top of us, we should be in decent shape.”
Smoke is something every vineyard in the Northwest watches closely this time of year. While it’s impossible to control the weather, understanding how smoke behaves and continuously monitoring vineyard conditions helps us make informed decisions as the fruit ripens.
Veraison also signals an important shift in our irrigation strategy for Vince and the crew:
“We’ve made it through berry sizing and cell division, when we keep vines water-stressed to concentrate aromatics, flavor, and color—smaller berries mean a better skin-to-juice ratio. Now that veraison is underway, we start easing more water back in to carry the vines through August heat and set up a smooth ripening curve to harvest.”
This careful balance is one of the many ways vineyard management influences the finished wine. Every adjustment is made with the goal of producing fruit that expresses both the vintage and our estate vineyard.
Looking ahead, Vince is optimistic about what this season has in store:
“Overall, this is shaping up to be a good year. With only a couple of days above 100°F so far, the vines have ripened quickly, pointing to an earlier harvest with strong fruit quality. We’re expecting to pick Sauvignon Blanc the first week of September—bird netting is going up now to make sure there’s enough of this extremely popular varietal for wine club members.”
For our team, that’s exciting news. The vineyard is progressing beautifully, harvest preparations are underway, and the 2026 vintage is showing all the signs of becoming another memorable chapter in Rivaura’s story.
