Harvesting when the Grapes are Ready

As a boy, I was always wondering why my Dad picked the crop on a certain day. Nothing about the crop appeared any different to me from the previous day. So, why today? His response was always the same, “the crop is ready.” Even then, my scientific mind felt there had to be more to it than that…

Flash forward fifty years, and I find myself teaching new students the craft of winemaking at the local college. I begin by letting them know that the decision of when to harvest is the most important decision they will make as a winemaker. And now, when they ask me when is that perfect time, I give them the same answer my father gave me, “when the grapes are ready.”

I have learned that ripeness depends on the style of wine you are trying to make, and except for perfect years, a winemaker must compromise, perhaps between acids and sugars, or the phenolic ripeness of the skins. Harvest can also be impacted by things other than ripeness, such as the weather, or the availability of the picking crew.  If you know of an impending storm, you must weigh the consequences of waiting for additional ripeness verses the possibility of losing the entire crop.

This week, we intend to harvest Pinot Noir grapes from Del Arroyo Vineyard. The fruit is intended for our dry, provençal-styled rosé. Here, the focus is firmly on acidity and less on sugar and tannins, since there is only minimal skin contact in making our rosé. As harvest day approaches, I will be providing more insight into that final harvest decision, and some of the techniques I have learned from great masters of the craft.