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The buds of the grapevine swell and eventually break open. (All dates are approximate, depending strongly on the weather and the geographical region)
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From the opened buds shoots emerge and the first new leaves develope.
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The first clusters of small flowers appear at the ends of the shoots.
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Immediately following fertilization seeds and the grape berry begin to develop. At this time they contain high concentrations of organic acids at a pH of around 2.5
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The hard and green grape berries start to undergo a ripening process called veraison. During veraison the berries grow to half their final size and start to accumulate sugars. The variety specific color also develops, while the pH increases to 3.5
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The process of veraison does not occur on all berries of a cluster at the same time.
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After the ripening process comes to an end (the actual timepoint is subjectively determined by the winemaker), the now sweet and plump berries can be harvested.
