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grapegrowing Ripening levels and sugar loading Fresh fruit, Fresh grassy skin fruit Pre-fresh Neutral Pre-ripe Ripe fruit Jammy fruit Grassy Accumulation of sugar per berry Figure 2: The berry aromatic sequence of most red cultivars is indirectly related to potential wine style (Vivelys and Deloire, 2008). Fresh fruit aroma Ripe fruit aroma days 10 15 20 25 Start of véraison 0 (berry softening) Day 0 = when sugar per berry reaches a plateau or slows down Figure 3 — Sugar loading and wine style: Example of relationships between berry sugar loading curve and potential related wine styles for Merlot. After "Day 0," three successive main periods have been determined: a fresh fruit period, a "neutral" or pre-ripe period and a mature fruit period. In terms of harvest dates, these periods have been determined according to the number of days after "Day 0," which correspond to the sugar-loading "plateau," or slowing down and not directly to a calendar date. This introduces the concept of a "physiological clock." 3. Sugar loading presents a plateau phase — Vines showing this tendency present a phase of active sugar loading in the berry (ripening), followed by a plateau representing a cessation of sugar loading (or a slowing down of sugar accumulation), and corresponding to maturity.9 In some cases, there is a third phase corresponding to a possible decrease of the quantity of sugar per berry (over-ripening). To date a probable explanation for the occurrence of this phase has not been identified. Theoretical berry sugar loading curves (accumulation of berry sugar content over time) are presented in Figure 1. The implications of this curve in terms of defining the finished wine are important. Depending on whether grapes are 60 p racti c al w i ne ry & v i n e yard MAY 20 13 harvested in the early, mid-, or later stages of the plateau phase, the wine will be characterized by fresh fruit, neutralspicy/pre-ripe or mature fruit flavors, respectively (see Figure 2). Berry Aromatic Sequence (BAS) The curve in Figure 2 demonstrates that selection of a harvest date according to the quantity of sugar per berry in conjunction with other indicators (titratable acidity, malic and tartaric acids, pH, berry volume, berry tasting, tannins, anthocyanins, etc.) enables different wine styles to be produced. Hence, for a balanced red wine, complete ripeness will be achieved between one and five weeks after the cessation of sugar loading (see Figure 3).