Harvest dates over the last two decades have slowly inched earlier and earlier, a phenomenon which understandably has us concerned as excess heat during ripening can greatly reduce the aromatics of delicate white grapes. Studies have revealed that when a darkly colored grape cluster is exposed to direct sunlight, the inside berries are over 60°F hotter than the outside air temperature. In wine country during harvest, that's sous vide temperature! In the late 1990s we planted two Gewürz vineyards using French trellis designs in which the shoots are trained in vertical panels so that rows of vines could grow closer together. Unfortunately many of the grape clusters in a VSP trellis (vertically shoot positioned) are exposed to direct sunlight, so in 2000 we began replanting what have historically been our three best Gewürz fields, this time incorporating a Navarro-designed triple-T trellis that keeps the clusters in the shade during the heat of the day.

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