The berries in a grape cluster are hard at 10 or 11 Brix with no extractable juice; at 12 or 13 Brix they start to soften and can be harvested with maximum acidity for Verjus. We use Verjus as a replacement for vinegar or lemon juice; since the acid is malic rather than citric, the
2019 Verjus flavor is apple-like with a blush from the Pinot Noir skins. For our
Gewürztraminer and
Pinot Noir juices we seek varietal flavors with enough acidity to counterbalance the sweetness—consequently, the grapes are harvested between 19° and 20° Brix.
Josephina (right) and Teresa (left) are full-time benefited employees and have been packing Navarro wine for over 20 years. They started as vineyard workers and during harvest they were noticeably fast picking grapes (Josephina was our fastest picker for years). We decided to use their remarkable skills in the shipping department and if you've received a shipment from Navarro, one of them has probably packed it, with other employees aiding during the busiest periods. Teresa is the primary packer as Josephina joins her husband to work at the winery during bottling and harvest, where she is the primary operator of the destemming machines.
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Teresa and Josephina packing about 20 years ago.
