Sauvignon Blanc : Follow the ripening and chose harvesting dates to reach Thiol or Terpenic grape profiles.
The Sauvignon Blanc produces varietal aromas from the Thiol family and from the Terpenic family. Depending on the region and the cultural conditions the expression of different profiles can be more or less strong.
During the ripening phase of the grape, the potential for Thiol will be influenced by the nutrition, particularly the NO2 nutrition, along with the water behavior of the plant. This potential is mostly expressed at a certain instant in the ripening process: the Thiol peak. This peak has a limited “lifespan” in the vineyard. Outside of this time limit, the produced wines are somewhat neutral in character.
The Terpenic profile is reached with a longer maturation time than with the Thiol profile. Reaching this profile depends on several parameters: the grapes’ light exposure, the ripening behavior, etc. The potential of the parcel and the harvesting date play here an important role.
