What does Harvest mean?

Harvest describes how and when the grapes were picked, by hand or by machine, and its timing decides the grapes' sugar, acidity and ripeness.

Also known as: Grape harvest, Picking

Harvest is when and how the grapes are picked from the vines. On the wine page the field usually describes the method, by hand or by machine, and sometimes the timing or whether the harvest was done in several passes.

Timing is one of the winemaker's most important decisions. As grapes ripen, sugar rises while acidity falls, and aromas, colour and tannins develop at the same time. An early harvest gives fresher wines with lower alcohol, a late one gives riper fruit, higher alcohol or sweet wines. In the northern hemisphere harvest usually takes place between August and October, later still for some sweet styles.

The method affects the wine as well. Hand-picking makes it possible to select healthy bunches and keep them whole, which is required for champagne, for instance. Machine harvesting is faster and can be done at night when it is cool, but it shakes the berries off the stems and does not work on steep slopes.

The vintage on the label states the year of harvest. In the EU at least 85 per cent of the grapes must come from the stated year.