Before harvest, you have to take a field sample of the grapes you want to pick. Taking a field sample is taking a few grapes from a bunch of different parts of the vineyard. The goal of this process is to see what the acid, sugar (Brix) and pH of the whole vineyard would be if you picked it all together. The grapes pictured are Petite Verdot, a minor Bordeaux varietal used mostly for blending but occasionally made as a solo varietal here in California. This grape adds great rich color with some beautiful violet aromas to your wine after blending.