Anuva Wines Knowledgebase
Harvesting Grapes
Harvesting ripe grapes. The harvest season depends on the type of grape and in what hemisphere the grapes are. Usually, one to three weeks after the grapes change color, the grapes can be harvested. Grapes toward the top of the grape bunch tend to ripen first, before the grapes on the bottom of the bunch.
Some grapes need—and some winemakers allow the grapes—to retain more sugars than other grapes in order to ultimately create a wine high in alcohol or a wine high in sugar. Retaining sugars requires more time on the vine for the high amount of sugars to develop in the grape. Machines such as a refractometer or a hygrometer can determine the sugar level by sampling the berry’s juice.
Other factors establishing the harvest time include the grape’s flavor and tannin level, determined by the grape’s seed color (brown means ripe, green means unripe) and taste. Grape growers can use a portable pH pen to test the acidity of the wine. When the pH is at about 3.25, the grapes are ready to be harvested.
Manual and Mechanical Harvesting
Grapes can be harvested manually or mechanically—both with advantages and disadvantages; however, manual harvesting has many more advantages in terms of wine quality outcome. With manual ... read more
Night Harvesting
Some wineries harvest their grapes at night, a practice referred to as nocturnal harvesting. Grapes must be cool, not warm, in order to press them and during the hot days of harvest season, lots of en ... read more
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