Working with under ripe fruit

Protocols and tools for reducing green character in red wine.

There are many concerns about making red wines from under ripe fruit:

• Limited extractability from the skins leading to reduced color intensity and mouthfeel.
• Unripe and green seed tannins in the fruit can produce astringent characters in the wine.
• Under ripe fruit can have a green or vegetal character that results in the wine.

Taking proactive steps and using the tools available will help produce a high quality wine from an under ripe vintage.