The Harvest

The Harvest

The harvest cycle, a key moment in the creation of wine

The grape harvest marks the beginning of a unique adventure in the world of wine. It is the time when the fruits of the year's work come to fruition, and when every decision made, from harvest to bottling, shapes the personality of the final wine. A veritable ballet of traditional gestures and modern techniques, the grape harvest is not just a simple harvest: it is the very essence of viticulture, directly influencing the quality and character of the wine.

Chapter 1: What is the grape harvest?

The grape harvest is a key moment in viticulture, marking the transition between the cultivation of grapes and the start of winemaking. This event, often considered a ritual in wine regions, varies according to climates, grape varieties and viticulture methods, but its importance is universal to ensure quality wine.

When does the grape harvest take place?

The timing of the harvest is strategic and depends mainly on the ripeness of the grapes. As a general rule, they take place between late August and October in the northern hemisphere and between February and April in the southern hemisphere. However, the exact date can vary depending on several factors:

• Grape varieties : Some grapes, such as early varieties (Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir), ripen earlier, while others (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah) ripen later.
• Climatic conditions : The climate of the year strongly influences the harvest calendar. A warm and sunny year can accelerate ripening, while a cold or rainy year can delay it.
• Stylistic objective : For fresher and more acidic wines, the grapes can be harvested earlier. For riper wines, rich in sugar and flavor, the harvest is delayed.

Harvests can also vary depending on the region and appellation. Some appellations impose start dates to ensure that the grapes reach the level of maturity required to guarantee balanced wines typical of the terroir.

Types of Harvest: Manual vs. Mechanical

The way the grapes are harvested plays a vital role in the quality of the final wine. Two main methods are used: hand harvesting and mechanical harvesting.

1. Manual harvest :
• These are harvests carried out by hand, with pruning shears, by a team of harvesters. They are often preferred for high-quality grapes or for difficult terrain (steep hillsides, high-altitude vines).
• Benefits : Precise selection of bunches. Harvesters can sort grapes on site, eliminating damaged or unripe bunches, ensuring a better quality of the final product.
• Disadvantages : More expensive and slower, they require skilled labor.
2. Mechanical harvesting :
• Used mainly on large farms or flat land, this method involves machines that shake the vines to loosen the grapes.
• Advantages : Speed ​​of execution and low cost. The machines can cover large areas in a short time, essential when it is crucial to harvest the grapes before a rainy period for example.
• Cons : Less selective. Machines also pick up leaves and other debris, requiring additional sorting in the cellar.

The importance of good timing

Choosing the right time to harvest is crucial. If grapes are harvested too early, they may be too acidic, resulting in an unbalanced wine. Conversely, if they are harvested too late, they may be too sweet, lacking freshness and liveliness. To determine the right time, winemakers use several indicators:

• Sugar content : Measured with a refractometer, it allows you to know if the grape has reached the sugar concentration necessary to produce the desired alcohol.
• Acidity : The acidity level decreases as the grape ripens. A balance between acidity and sugar is sought for harmonious wines.
• Phenolic maturity : This concerns the components of the skins and seeds. Good phenolic maturity is necessary to avoid overly aggressive tannins in red wines.
• Taste : The winemaker's experience remains essential. Tasting the grapes allows you to assess the complexity of the aromas and the general maturity.

The grape harvest: a time of celebration and tradition

In many wine regions, the grape harvest is much more than just a harvest. It is often synonymous with local festivals and celebrations. In some regions of France, Italy or Spain, festivities are organized to mark this key moment. The grape harvesters, sometimes volunteers, come from far away to participate in this work, creating a friendly atmosphere.

• Harvest in Burgundy : A perfect example of this tradition. The harvest in this region is often associated with copious meals and moments of sharing between the harvesters.
• Harvest festivals : In some regions, such as Champagne, the harvest is followed by local festivals where producers and residents celebrate the harvest with meals and wine.

Chapter 2: The big questions surrounding the grape harvest

The grape harvest, beyond a simple harvesting process, raises many questions for wine lovers and winemakers alike. This crucial moment in wine production is surrounded by technical and strategic decisions that directly influence the quality of the wine. In this chapter, we will address five major questions that often come up when talking about the grape harvest.

1. How is the date of the harvest decided?

Deciding when to harvest grapes is arguably the most critical decision a winemaker will make. This decision is influenced by several factors, and there is no set date for all farms, even within the same region. Key elements to consider include:

• Grape Ripeness : Grapes should have reached a balance between sugar, acidity, and phenolic compounds (such as tannins and anthocyanins in red wines). This is measured using a variety of tools

• Refractometer for assessing sugar content.
• Acidity test to check taste balance.
• Phenolic analysis for tannins and color.

• Taste of grapes : Despite technical instruments, nothing replaces the experience and palate of the winemaker, who regularly tastes the grapes to assess their aromatic maturity.
• Weather : Climate plays a crucial role. Excessive rain can dilute grapes and make them more susceptible to disease, while prolonged sunshine can concentrate sugars but reduce acidity. So it is often necessary to make a quick decision based on the weather forecast.

2. What are the climatic challenges during the grape harvest?

The climate is one of the most unpredictable and feared factors by winegrowers. Several types of weather conditions can have a major impact on the harvest:

• Rain : Too much rain during the harvest can dilute the juice of the grapes, reduce the sugar concentration, and even cause the bunches to rot. The harvest can then be brought forward to avoid losses, even if it means picking slightly less ripe grapes.
• Hail : Hail is a constant hazard during the grape harvest season. A hailstorm can destroy an entire crop in a matter of minutes, especially if the berries are already ripe and fragile.
• High heat : If the heatwave persists for too long, it can cause the grapes to over-ripen, reducing their acidity and risking producing unbalanced wines.
• Early frosts : An unexpected frost late in the season can damage vines and unharvested grapes.

For these reasons, the winemaker closely monitors the weather forecast and, in some cases, must make quick decisions to protect the harvest. This is what makes the grape harvest so stressful, but also exciting for professionals.

3. What is the difference between late harvest and classic harvest?

Classic harvests involve picking the grapes when they have reached full maturity, i.e. a good balance between sugar and acidity, usually in late summer or early fall. However, some winemakers choose to leave the grapes on the vines for longer, well after the optimum maturity for classic harvests. This is called late harvests.

• Late harvests : These generally concern sweet wines, such as the late harvests of Alsace or the sweet wines of Sauternes. The grapes, left longer on the vines, become concentrated in sugar as they lose water, and are sometimes attacked by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). This gives rich, sweet, and extremely aromatic wines.
• Objectives : The objective of late harvest is to obtain overripe grapes to produce wines with intense aromas and complex structure, often accompanied by notes of candied fruit, honey and spices.

On the other hand, late harvests are riskier because the grapes can be damaged by bad weather (rain or frost) before being harvested.

4. Do grape harvests influence the quality of wine?

Absolutely. The quality of the harvest has a direct impact on the quality of the final wine. Here’s how:

• Harvest accuracy : A grape harvested at perfect maturity will fully express the aromatic potential of the grape variety and the terroir. Conversely, a harvest that is too early or too late can unbalance the wine (too acidic or too sweet).
• Health of the grapes : Healthy bunches, free of disease or rot, allow for cleaner and more controlled fermentation, avoiding undesirable aromatic deviations.
• Influence on wine style : Depending on the time of harvest, grapes can produce very different wines, from the most lively and fresh to the most rich and complex. The choice of harvest time is therefore also a question of style and the winemaker's vision of the wine they are looking for.

Chapter 3: From harvest to bottling

After the harvest, the grapes begin a long process of transformation into wine. Each step of this process, called vinification, is crucial in shaping the style and quality of the wine. From the initial pressing to the final labeling, every decision made influences the final product found in a bottle. In this chapter, we will follow in detail the main steps of winemaking, from grape to bottle.

1. Destemming and crushing

As soon as the grapes arrive at the winery (the cellar where the wine is produced), they are immediately taken care of to avoid oxidation and possible unwanted fermentation.

• Destemming : Destemming is the process of separating the berries from the stalks (the woody parts of the bunch). This step is often done to avoid introducing vegetal and bitter tannins into the wine, particularly for red wines. However, some winemakers choose to leave some of the stalks to add structure or specific aromas to the wine.
• Crushing : Once destemmed, the berries are lightly crushed to release the juice, without crushing the seeds, which would avoid bitter notes in the wine. For red wines, the juice and skins remain in contact to extract color, tannins and aromas.

For white wines, destemming and crushing may be followed by immediate pressing in order to quickly separate the must from the skins and avoid excessive extraction of phenolic compounds.

2. Alcoholic fermentation

Alcoholic fermentation is the stage during which the sugar contained in the grapes is transformed into alcohol under the action of yeasts. Two types of yeasts can be used:

• Indigenous yeasts : Those naturally present on the grapes and in the cellar environment. They are often preferred for natural wines or those seeking to express the terroir as much as possible. However, they can be capricious and require precise monitoring.
• Selected yeasts : These yeasts are added to the must to ensure controlled and regular fermentation. They are often chosen for their ability to produce specific aromas or to withstand difficult conditions (temperature, alcohol, etc.).

Fermentation can last from a few days to several weeks, depending on the type of wine being produced. For red wines, this step usually takes place with the skins on, allowing tannins and color to be extracted, while for white wines, the skins are removed earlier in the process.

Temperature is a key factor during fermentation:

• For white wines : Low temperature fermentation (12-18°C) is preferred to preserve the fresh and fruity aromas.
• For red wines : Higher temperatures (20-30°C) allow better extraction of tannins and colors.

3. Maceration (for red wines)

Maceration is specific to red wines, where the must (juice) remains in contact with the skins for a variable length of time. This allows the extraction of phenolic compounds (tannins, anthocyanins) which will give the wine its color, structure and aromas.

• Cold pre-fermentation maceration : Some vintages benefit from low-temperature maceration before the start of fermentation. This allows for gentle extraction of fruity aromas and pigments without extracting too many tannins.
• Post-fermentation maceration : In some cases, the wine is left in contact with the skins after alcoholic fermentation for longer extraction and to add structure.

Maceration time can vary from a few days to several weeks, depending on the style of wine sought. A longer maceration will give more tannic and structured wines, while a short maceration will give more supple and fruity wines.

4. Pressing

After maceration, the grapes must be pressed to separate the juice from the solid matter (skins, seeds). For white and rosé wines, this step occurs earlier, sometimes even before fermentation. For red wines, it occurs after alcoholic fermentation and maceration.

There are several types of presses:

• Pneumatic presses : The most common today, they allow gentle and controlled pressing, limiting the risks of extracting undesirable compounds (bitterness of the seeds).
• Traditional presses : Used in particular in certain regions and for certain appellations (such as Champagne), they allow for more rustic extraction and give a more marked character to the wines.

5. Malolactic fermentation (optional)

Malolactic fermentation is a secondary transformation where malic acid, present in grapes, is converted into lactic acid under the action of specific bacteria. This step is not systematic and depends on the type of wine produced:

• For red wines : This fermentation is almost always carried out. It softens the wine by reducing its acidity, bringing more roundness and suppleness.
• For white wines : It is rarer and depends on the style sought. Some wines, such as Chardonnay in Burgundy, benefit from malolactic fermentation to bring complexity and notes of butter or hazelnut. Others, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling, prefer to preserve their freshness and liveliness by avoiding this step.

6. Breeding

Aging is the stage where the wine rests and develops before being bottled. The choice of container (stainless steel tank, oak barrel, amphora, etc.) and the duration of aging greatly influence the final style of the wine.

• Stainless steel tanks : Perfect for preserving the freshness and fruitiness of the wine, without adding external aromas. Used mainly for white wines or young reds.
• Oak barrels : They allow the wine to oxygenate gently, while giving it additional aromas (vanilla, spices, toast) and complexity. The duration of aging can vary from a few months to several years, depending on the style sought.
• Amphorae or jars : Increasingly popular in natural or biodynamic wines, they allow gentle aging and natural micro-oxygenation without the addition of woody aromas.

7. Assembly (optional)

Blending involves mixing different grape varieties or vintages to obtain a balanced final wine. This step is crucial in certain regions (Bordeaux, Champagne), where the complexity and balance of the wine are often the result of the association of several grape varieties (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, for example) or several plots.

Blending allows you to create a more harmonious wine by playing on the strengths of each component: the tannic structure of one grape variety, the freshness of another, etc.

8. Filtration and stabilization

Before bottling, wine is often filtered to remove impurities and sediment. Some winemakers choose not to filter to preserve the wine's raw character, but this poses risks of developing cloudiness or precipitation.

Stabilization is also important to prevent the wine from undergoing alterations after bottling. This can include tartaric stabilization (to prevent crystal formation) or microbiological stabilization (to prevent refermentation).

9. Bottling

Once the wine has been aged, filtered and stabilized, it is ready to be bottled. This step may seem simple, but it is crucial to preserve the quality of the wine:

• Inert gas filling : Often, bottles are filled under inert gas (nitrogen, CO2) to prevent any oxidation before the cork is placed.
• Cork Choice : The cork plays a role in the aging of the wine. A cork allows for slight oxygenation which can promote aging, while screw caps preserve freshness and are often used for wines to be drunk young.

Finally, the bottles are labeled and ready to be marketed. Some vintages may still spend time in the bottle before being put on the market, particularly for great wines for laying down.

Conclusion: The grape harvest, a founding stage of wine

The grape harvest marks the beginning of the grape’s journey to the wine bottle. It is a labor-intensive time, where every decision can influence the final character of the wine. From choosing the ideal time to harvest to the meticulous steps of winemaking, every detail counts to capture the essence of the terroir.

This year, the RSP team came to lend a hand at Domaine de Bellène, at Nicolas Potel's . Go take a look at their selection, you will find a little of our mark there.

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