Martha Clara Vineyards winemaker Juan Micieli-Martinez reports that the vineyard crew picked 4 tons of pinot grigio today, saying has the "highest brix I have ever seen this early in pinot grigio."

It came in at 22.5 brix with pH of 3.5 and TA of 6.68 g/L.

"We averaged a little over 3 tons to the acre. Our pinot grigio is on 7×4 density plantings which means approximately 1,500 vines per acre. Therefore, the fruit load per vine is very low thus resulting in nice ripe fruit," told me in an email.

This recent 90-plus-degree heat wave has had a big impact. Last Thursday, when assistant winemaker Robin Epperson-McCarthy took samples, the fruit was just under 17 brix.