It’s harvest season! Learn what goes on in the vineyard during the annual grape harvest & crush:
- Grape harvest is often done at night. Why? Well, it saves money because winemakers do not need to cool the grapes before crushing, it’s easier on the workers – not nearly as hot out while they are harvesting! – and it makes sure there is a stable sugar level in the grapes, something that fluctuates throughout the day as the temperature rises and falls.
- Grape stomps are not a common winemaking method anymore. (Booooo!) Most human grape-stompers have been replaced by machine de-stemmers or crushers. But it’s still around as a novelty at some fun events. (Like at the Sonoma County Harvest Festival!)
- It takes three years from vineyard planting to the first crop of wine-producing grapes.
- The flavors of wine are affected by how long the grapes are on the vine. The longer on the vine, the more sugar the grapes produce.
- Grapes for sparkling wines are harvested earlier than others because winemakers want a higher acidity.
- Then they pick the grapes to make crisp, tart wine – usually white wine grapes – to ensure lower sugar levels and acidity.
- Red wine grapes are left on the vine a little longer for a more balanced sugar and acidity level.
- Dessert wines are left on the vines the longest, which is why many of them have the designation “late-harvest” and why they are nice and sweet!
Think about these stats next time you pour a glass of wine (& be sure to thank a winemaker!):
In Sonoma…
500-2,000 vines are planted per acre
5-7 tons of grapes produced per acre
1 acre of grapes = 3,958 bottles of wine
1 acre of grapes = 15,940 glasses of wine
1 barrel of wine =
740 pounds of grapes
59 gallons of wine
24.6 cases of wine
295 bottles of wine
1,180 glasses of wine
1 case of wine =
30 pounds of grapes
307.2 ounces of wine
12 bottles of wine
48 glasses of wine
1 bottle of wine =
2.4 pounds of grapes
4 glasses of wine
Cheers!
“In vino veritas.”
– Pliny the Elder
Sources:
KQED
SonomaCounty.com
Wine Spectator
Steph Wines 