The Science Behind the Wines of Cassel Vineyards

This picture shows Chris and Greg testing the Chambourcin juice for total acidity. It is important to pick the grapes at the right time but it is often only possible to get the grape juice close to what winemakers consider perfect. Our titrations show the acidity and our refractometer and hydrometer readings give us the amount of sugar available for fermentation. We have found that keeping accurate records and relying on the scientific measurements and calculations are helping us to achieve solid and consistent results. We owe part of the success to the fact that Chris and I are both science teachers and Greg is a perfectionist. We know how to take the readings and make the calculations and Greg reminds us almost daily how important it is to pay attention to the small details. We like to think that our combination of science and art will continues to produce excellent wine.