The Vintage
As Grapes ripen the sugar content increases
as the acidity decreases. Thus, the grower can pick
early to maintain the acidity in hot years, or delay
picking to optimise sugar levels, but with reduced
acidity.
The Vintage will take place when the
grapes reach a desirable level of maturity, though
impending unfavourable weather conditions may have
to be taken into consideration.
Harvesting can be either by hand or
machine, the choice being decided by the type of wine
to be made, financial considerations and topography.
Machine harvesting requires considerable investment,
which can be a problem for smaller producers, unless
a group of growers share the harvester, but has the
benefit of speed and flexibility, including night
harvesting when necessary. Machine harvesters work
by shaking the vine and collecting the ripe berries
which fall off, leaving the stalks behind. It is,
therefore, not selective, taking all the ripe berries
from the vine, whether healthy or not, and is only
feasible on flat or gently sloping dry land. Manual
harvesting is slower, labour intensive and inflexible.
It does however , allow a great deal of selection
of the grapes, unripe or rotten grapes can be left
on the vine, or conversely, only botryized fruit selected
for dessert wines. Less damage occurs to the grapes
as bunches are harvested whole, complete with stalks,
so it is essential for wines like Lambrusco bianco
and Champagne where colour from the skins is unwanted.
Hand picking can be done in all terrains; indeed,
steep vineyards, such as the Northern Rhone, the Mosel
and the Douro, can only be harvested by hand
