Brix

One number, watched daily

Brix is the measure of sugar in the juice, and sugar is the future alcohol. Every grower lives and dies by this number in the last month.

The scale

18°      too early, thin, green
21–22°   our target for pinot
24°+     overripe, hot, jammy
reading  refractometer, in the field

Why we wait

Pick too soon and you get tart, thin wine. Too late and it's jam. The whole craft is knowing the one morning to pick.