Tasting the berries provides additional qualitative information regarding their ripening potential that is not always revealed by the analytical results.
Tasting the berries in parallel to the must analysis is key, as this alone can delay or bring forward the harvest date. Berry tasting provides information on several types of maturity: technological ripeness, phenolic ripeness and aromatic ripeness. The three components of the berry, i.e. the skin, the pulp and the seeds, will not necessarily indicate the same degree of ripeness and should ideally be tasted separately.
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Before tasting the various parts of the berry, a visual examination should be carried out. The berry's colour gives an indication of its ripeness. The darker or blacker the berry is for red grapes, the more mature it is. For white grapes, maturity is reached when the colour turns golden yellow. Conversely, if the berry is still green or pink, it is a sign that ripening is still in progress.
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The ease with which the stalk can be removed also provides information on the grape's ripeness. If the berry detaches easily from its pedicel and the seeds separate easily from the pulp, it is also a sign of advanced ripeness. Any decrease in the amount of pulp and the progressive colouring of the brush are signs of ripening. Finally, the ease with which the berry can be crushed between the fingers or between the tongue and the palate shows its degree of elasticity. The less elastic the berry, the riper it is.