Physiological Ripeness
Definition - What does Physiological Ripeness mean?
Physiological ripeness, also known as polyphenolic ripeness, describe the changes in the tannins and anthocyanins that occur in grapes solids like grape skin, pulps, stems and seeds. This is different from sugar ripeness, which describes the breakdown of acids and accumulation of sugar that occurs prior to physiological ripeness. The later we pluck the grapes, the higher the concentration of physiological ripeness. The increased levels of physiological ripeness increase in alcohol level of the wine.
WineFrog explains Physiological Ripeness
Physiological Ripeness is the measure of phenols in grape solids. Phenols present in grapes are responsible for the color, tannins and flavor. Nowadays, more people rely on the concentration of physiological ripeness to know about the color, smell and taste of the wine. People depend more on it for the right balance in wine. Thus, the physiological ripeness determines the color, flavor and aroma of wine.
Many researchers believe that the ripeness of the grape ultimately plays a role in determining the quality of the wine. The rise in sugar content as the acidity level falls, results in a little amount of tartness in a ripe grape. Evaluation of physiological ripeness of grapes is more focused towards observing and sampling the grapes.
