Harvest

Question 1

Traditionally- when did gets ripen?

Answer 1

100 days after beginning of flowering

Question 2

How is readiness for harvest measured now?

Answer 2

-Potential alcohol levela
-9.5-11% in cool climates

Question 3

Now, harvesting decisions have changed to what?

Answer 3

1. Warmer climate- easier to ripen grapes in cooler climates
2. Better viticulture- enabling vines to ripen grapes properly
3. Tannin and aroma ripeness

Question 4

What is the main threat to harvest?

Answer 4

Rainfall
-have to choose between under ripe grapes, or leaving on vine in hope of weather improves
-dilute flavour concentration
-grapes can swell, then split due to rapid expansion= grey rot

Question 5

How can you measure ripeness?

Answer 5

1. Sugar levels- handheld refractometer.
   - dry wines= 19-25 Brix = convert to 11-15% abv
2. Acidity levels- titration.
   - PH of juice can be read by PH meter
3. Aroma and tanning ripeness- taste (with experience)

Question 6

In the Loire, when would you harvest?

Answer 6

• Chenin Blanc 4-6 weeks depending on style
  -early =sparkling
• mind harvest= dry/off dry wines
• late harvest- botrytis/late harvest wines

Question 7

In California, when would you harvest Zinfandel?

Answer 7

-early-mid August= white Zinfandel
- Sept- red wine
- Zin has under ripe and ripe grapes on same vine- care taken if consistently high quality required
- hot areas- shriveled grapes or not

Question 8

When would you harvest grapes for wines with residual sugar?

Answer 8

• harvest late- concentrate sugars in grapes
• botrytised wines need hand harvesting/several passes through vy
• icewine- grapes only picked when temps reach below -8 degrees

Question 9

How are vys now prepared and planted to maximise suitability to machine harvesting?

Answer 9

-Even row spacing
-Turning space at end of rows
- Flat land

Question 10

How can you improve quality of machine harvesting?

Answer 10

• selecting out undesirable fruit by hand before harvesting by machine
• bow-rod shaking= more gentle and more selective
• invest in latest machines- optical sorting devices, crush white grapes and add SO2- limit oxidation
• rigorous sorting on arrival in winery- MOG, unripe/rotten grapes

Question 11

What are the advantages of machine harvesting?

Answer 11

• harvest at night- keeps grapes cooler, saves on chilling cost, avoid microboial spoilage, oxidation, preserves fruit aromas
• avoids lack of availability and unreliability of workers
• Time of harvest can wait until desired level of ripeness been achieved then carried out quickly
  -cheaper (depending on where and labour costs)

Question 12

What are the disadvantages of machine harvesting?

Answer 12

• rental/ownership = not cost effective for small vys
• not suitable for slopes/ limited access
• only as good as skill of operator of machine
• if renting- competition of use
• not as gentle- can split skins and eject juice, also can’t use wholebunch- not good if want to avoid oxidation
• unsuitable for grapes that ripen at diff time in same plot
• major investment

Question 13

What are the advantages of hand harvesting?

Answer 13

• highly selective
• more gentle
• can deal with steep slopes, irregular rows, mixed pantings in same vy
• avoid crushing of grapes and release of juice = avoid oxidation, microbial spoilage (care and stacked crates)

Question 14

What are the disadvantages of hand harvesting?

Answer 14

• have to rely on availability of reliable workforce
• training/supervision
• more expensive
• usually harvest during day light hours- high temps- risk of microbial spoilage/oxidation

Question 15

When is hand harvesting required?

Answer 15

-premium sparkling- whole bunch press
- bojo- semi/carbonic maceration- need whole bunch
- selecition of certain grapes- eg botrytised grapes- trockenbeerenauslese- Mosel
- steep slopes/uneven land