When is a Grape Ripe?

When is a Grape Ripe? I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. If you've ever had a garden or picked through the produce section at your local market invariably you ask the question – Is this ripe? Vicky Scharlau, Executive Director of the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers says that is an important question. SCHARLAU: Washington State University Extension along with the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers, particularly after the 2009 harvest year, were realizing that there are differing definitions of when a grape is ripe. And it has to do more with the kind of wine style that a winemaker is making or trying to target. It also has much to do with what Mother Nature is handing a grower in any given year so the "What is Ripe" isn't necessarily a place or point in time, it varies because of a number of factors. An upcoming session on the topic will be held May 13 at the Yakima Convention Center. SCHARLAU: We'll be talking about truly what is grape ripeness from the grapes perspective by Dr. Markus Keller who is a research viticulturist from WSU and then we have Bob Bertheau from Ste Michelle Wine Estates talking about picking grapes for different wine styles. For more information on this very interesting workshop visit the Wine Grape Growers website at www.wawgg.org. More tomorrow with Vicky Scharlau. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.