The Harvest

A part of the process that every wine-lover should know. The perfect harvest, done at exactly the right time.

At Vin De Garage we embrace the art and science of winemaking and invite you to learn about the winemaking process, the land and the grape behind every glass. And that’s why today we want to tell you about…

THE HARVEST

The grape harvest it’s a crucial moment in winemaking, as it affects the quality of the wines later produced. A very delicate process, it consists of harvesting the grapes at the peak of their ripeness, and then taking them to the winery to begin the process that will then convert them into our most beloved drink.

Generally, the harvest is associated with summer. It’s during this time that the grapes begin to ripen and the bunches reach their mature size. The grapes soften, become sweeter and take on the color that defines their varietal. When this change in color is first noted, the winemaker goes through the vineyard and tastes the grapes to determine whether they’ve reached the perfect point to be harvested, a decision always made in function of the specific wine they are looking to produce.

The harvest can be done by hand or by machine. In the former, the bunches are cut with utmost care to make sure that they remain intact and they are placed in small plastic boxes for optimal quality control. In the latter, a harvesting machine shakes the bunches to separate the grapes from the stems. Both techniques are correct (and are even complementary!) as long as the bunches are not broken apart.

Now that you know what the harvest is all about and what goes on in the vineyards during the summer, we can’t help but recommend that you read what happens during the other stages of life on the vine: we invite you to click here to learn more about the marvelous world of wine.