Here are some other interesting 'Ask the Winemaker' questions and answers.

Q. What amount of grapes go into a bottle of wine?
A. It takes an average of 2 1/2 pounds of grapes to create enough liquid to fill one wine bottle.

Q. What does the year on the wine label refer to? Is it the year the wine is bottled?
A. No. The year on the label refers to the vintage, which is the year the grapes were harvested.

Q. How does the grape grower or winemaker know when to pick the grapes?
A. As the growing season progresses, the grapes develop more of their typical varietal characteristics. It is important to continuously monitor the progress of the grapes. If the grapes are harvested too soon, they will be tart and acidic. If the grapes are left on the vine too long, the acids will decrease, and the sugars may reach very high levels. Therefore, the winemaker's decision on when to harvest has a significant impact on the resulting taste and characteristics of the wine.