D3 - Harvesting + Pressing Options for Rosé

Question 1

What are 4 advantages of hand harvesting and pressing whole bunches to make rosé?

Answer 1

1. Less stress on the grapes from hand harvesting, especially if picked at the coolest time (4am on);
2. Fruit can be sorted in the vineyard;
3. Whole bunch pressing is gentler, extracting fewer solids and phenolics;
4. More juice is produced at lower pressure due to presence of stems which create channels for the juice.

Question 2

What are 5 disadvantages to hand harvesting and pressing whole bunches?

Answer 2

1. Hand harvesting requires large, well-trained picking teams to harvest and select correctly;
2. In many countries, it is increasingly difficult to find and retain such labor;
3. Labor may not be available in the early morning;
4. Hand harvesting is more expensive and slower;
5. Whole bunch pressing is more time consuming as fewer bunches can be loaded into the press.

Question 3

What are 5 advantages to machine harvesting and short maceration/ hold in press?

Answer 3

1. Fast;
2. Significantly cheaper than hand harvesting;
3. Does not require picking teams;
4. Grapes can be picked at night during cooler temperatures;
5. Shortest possible delay between picking and refrigeration and/or pressing.

Question 4

What are 3 disadvantages to machine harvesting and short maceration/ hold in press?

Answer 4

1. Machine harvesting requires an up-to-date, well-maintained machine and a skillful driver;
2. Grapes are destemmed by the shaking mechanism of the machine and therefore whole bunch pressing is not possible;
3. Destemmed grapes require a higher pressure to extract the same amount of juice as whole bunch pressing.