That is indeed a situation I face every year and is part of the delicate dance of being a winemaker. As many of my readers know, I believe that picking is the single most important decision you will ever make in a wine’s life. Once you do that, the road to what that wine can and will be is set before you. I find that pH, acidity and flavor are a much bigger prediction of “ripeness” than Brix levels or seed browning. Sugar accumulation can fluctuate wildly year-to-year and may be impacted by dehydration in the vineyard, especially as the end of harvest approaches. Some varietals get browner seeds than others and I do find year-to-year variation there too. That low pH is a little bit of a weird factor. First, I would re-check your pH analysis because everything else seems to be in alignment. If you truly have a pH that low, does the acid taste that high? Are there any green flavors? If so, then I would wait a little bit longer. I am much more comfortable letting
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