Harvest season is upon us in Finger Lakes wine country and such varieties as Aurore and Seyval grapes have been picked as well as some Baco Noir and Vignoles.

In the Finger Lakes, fruit maturity has increased over the past couple of weeks due to warm temperatures and modest rainfall.

The best part is fruit samples are showing numbers for brix, ph and acid very comparable to last year, and we all know that 2007 has proven to be an excellent year for local wine.

You may be wondering what brix, ph and acid mean in a grape. Brix is a unit of measure for the sugar content of grapes.

Grapes are generally harvested at 20 to 25 brix, resulting in alcohol after fermentation of 11.5 to 14 percent.

The pH is a quantitative unit of measure which describes the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a substance. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14.

Acids are naturally present in grapes and are produced during the fermentation process.

The three primary acids are tartaric, malic and citric. Tartaric is the primary organic acid in grapes and contributes to the crisp flavor and graceful aging of wine.

Malic acid gives wine its fruity character, and citric acid provides a small amount of sour flavor.

Wine contains minute traces of other acids produced during fermentation.

The acid content of grapes is affected by several key components: climate, soil and the grape itself. The longer a grape can stay on the vine the higher the brix, higher the ph and lower the measurements of acid to make that perfect glass of wine.

Due to the superb weather conditions last year, the 2007 wines are delightful on the palette. We all know the signature wine of the Finger Lakes is Riesling, but I must say the red wines are coming into fruition in a class all of their own.

This is due to the lake's effect producing a microclimate suitable for the successful ripening of reds such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Lemberger and Pinot Noir. Fifteen wines from the Finger Lakes, including 13 reds, received reviews by the Wine Enthusiast, in the October issue that are considered to be very good to good.

The Cayuga Lake Wine Trail red wines that made the list are: Sheldrake Point's 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Swedish Hill's 2005 Optimus and Goose Watch's 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Upcoming events:

• King Ferry will hold its Harvest Festival Oct. 11 and 12.

• Cobblestone Farm Winery will hold its second annual pumpkin festival Oct. 18 and 19.

• Buttonwood Grove Winery will hold a Harvest Festival with live music by Bob Walpole Oct. 19.

• Goose Watch Winery will hold its 11th annual Chestnut Festival Oct. 25.

• At Americana Vineyards is planning a Halloween Spooktacular event Oct. 25.

• Bellwether Hard Cider will serve “cider for grownups” during its Witches Brew event Oct. 25 and 26.

Cathy Millspaugh is the

executive director of the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail. To learn more, visit cayugawinetrail.com