In viticulture,
ripeness is the completion of the
ripening process of
wine grapes on the vine which signals the beginning of
harvest. What exactly constitutes ripeness will vary depending on what style of
wine is being produced (
sparkling, still,
fortified,
rosé,
dessert wine, etc.) and what the winemaker and viticulturist personally believe constitutes ripeness. Once the grapes are harvested, the physical and chemical components of the grape which will influence a wine's quality are essentially set so determining the optimal moment of ripeness may be considered the most crucial decision in winemaking.