In the Vineyard: Knowing When Barbera Is Ready
For Iron Hub Winemaker Spencer Jones, determining the perfect time to harvest requires more than simply measuring sugar levels. It also means tasting the grapes, evaluating their acidity and examining the seeds and skins for signs of maturity.
In this video, Spencer checks on our 2025 Barbera after a stretch of hot weather pushed the grapes’ sugar levels up earlier than expected.
“The sugar spiked early because of the heat we had in mid-September, but the fruit was still really acidic,” Spencer explains. “So, I’ve been waiting for the acid to come down—and finally it has, with a little more hang time.”
Leaving the grapes on the vine gave the fruit time to reach a more balanced stage of ripeness. The Barbera now shows bright fruit, vibrant acidity and soft, mature tannins—the qualities Spencer wants before bringing it into the winery.
The skins offer another important clue. As grapes ripen, their tannins soften and become less likely to create excessive dryness or bitterness during fermentation.
“The tannins are soft and have matured nicely in the skins,” Spencer says. “So I know that during fermentation, I’m not going to extract too much tannin and end up with an overly bold, dry wine.”
Even the seeds help tell the story. Green or white seeds can indicate the fruit still needs time, while brown seeds signal greater physiological ripeness. Spencer examines a grape seed beginning to turn brown—another sign that the Barbera is ready for harvest.
This careful attention to sugar, acidity, skins, tannins, and seeds allows Spencer to choose the right moment to pick. The goal is a beautifully balanced Barbera that preserves the variety’s natural brightness and vibrancy while developing soft tannins and expressive fruit.
Watch the video to join Spencer in the vineyard and see how our winemaking team determines when the grapes are truly ready to become Iron Hub wine.