French term for ripen or mature; mûr is ripe or mature. In viticulture, however, mature is more commonly used for ripe; see under Maturation.
Quality-critical point in the annual vegetative cycle of the vine at which the grape harvest takes place. It is the end of the ripening period between véraison (beginning of ripening, where the berries begin to change colour) and grape ripeness. The period between flowering and maturation depends not only on the climate and weather but also on the ripening time (early to late) of the grape variety. Berries that are green before véraison have a relatively high content of acids, which are reduced during ripening, while the sugar content increases.
The frequently used term sugar ripeness describes the condition of the grape from the point of view of the sugar formed. The sugar content is mostly determined by means of a refractometer and expressed by the must weight in different measurands. Sometimes this is also referred to as technical/technological ripeness. However, a distinction is made between early ripeness, full ripeness and overripe. Which of the three states of ripeness is optimal or "the right one" depends on the desired type of wine, and other important aspects of ripeness are also important. These are the composition of the acidity and, as a new term, the physiological ripeness.
As the name suggests, the...
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