Page 52 - Greet HWY 68 Loop Magazine September 2025

AG EDUCATION

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GRAPES

The second reason to pick grapes early in the morning is to
Wines from the Salinas Valley ensure an adequate level of sugar in your fruit, which is most Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, just to name a few. White
wine is typically from white wine grapes, Chardonnay being
stable in cooler temperatures. We measure the sugar content
many more.
in wine grapes in a unit called Brix- the level of sugar in the our most famous one, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Albarino and
BY JYNEL GULARTE, RIVER RD. fruit directly correlates to the alcohol content in the wine. The There are hundreds of varieties of wine grapes - that’s the
higher the Brix level, the higher the alcohol content. Sparkling fun part of wine tasting, there are so many to try and some that
wine for instance usually has a Brix between 18 and 20. A are grown in only certain parts of the world. If you are unsure
Jynel shares a glass
of wine with her dad typical Pinot Noir in Monterey County will have a Brix from on where to start with wine, a safe bet is visit one of our local
in their vineyard 23 to 25. Sugar is critical in wine making because the yeast tasting rooms and mention that you are new to wine but want
that is added or naturally present eats the sugar and turns it to learn more! It is a fun experience for anyone 21 years of age
into alcohol, this is the basic fermentation process which turns or older. Wine is great on its own but I love to pair it with food
grape juice into wine. and share it with friends and family.
Wine making, in my opinion, is where science meets art. It If you are of age, I encourage you to try a new local winery,
is a fascinating process, requiring a lot of work and care. If you check out the Monterey Wine Trail and learn more about our
talk to a winemaker, they often say the best wine starts in the incredible wine region right here in Monterey County. It’s our
vineyard with high quality fruit. 10th largest crop!
Wine is divided into a few different categories but the As always, see my local produce guide for what’s in
two most basic ones are reds and whites. Red wine comes season. Cheers!
from red grape varietals, that includes Pinot Noir (Monterey
County’s most famous red wine grape varietal), Syrah, Are you involved in the ag industry? Share your passion for all things ag on this page. Contact
Laurie.Martin@n2co.com or phone 272-4620.

IN SEASON NOW

Veggies Fruit
Avocados Apples
Corn Avocados
Eggplant Blackberries
Peppers Dates
Potatoes Figs
Sweet Potatoes Grapes
Tomatoes Melons
Zucchini Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums

Howdy neighbors! It’s Jynel, your local farm friend here to talk years old. In the United States and Northern hemisphere,
about agriculture and wine grape harvest! If you didn’t know, wine grape harvest is in the fall, typically anytime from
Monterey County is a highly acclaimed California wine region. August to November.
We are so lucky to have some great wineries and vineyards Regardless of where you are in the world, there are some Jynel Gularte lives in the River Road
right in our backyard! similar factors that remain the same. Grapes are picked early community and works for her family’s
Wine grapes, which are grown in vineyards, are in the morning, sometimes even starting late at night to ensure local farm. She is excited to help spread
perennial crops, meaning they live for multiple years the coolest temperatures. When making wine, it is critical to awareness about the agricultural way of
and are typically harvested once a year. Vineyards have have fruit that is cold, it is not good for wine quality if you have life in the Salinas Valley and the bountiful
incredible longevity, some vineyards can be well over 100 fluctuating fruit temperatures. produce that’s grown here.

52 September 2025 Greet HWY 68 Loop 53