Harvesting our 2024 Marlborough grapes

Back into the Vines

We sent our Summerhouse gal Lois back into the vines this week to join our hand-picking crew as they harvest the first of our Pinot Noir for vintage 2024! ⁠

As Lois found out, hand-harvesting is a labour-intensive process that requires careful attention to detail but the outcome is worth it.

In a quest to discover what makes the best wine, Lois learned about harvesting by hand and machine. Read on to join her.

HandPicking

🍇 Allows vineyard workers to selectively harvest the ripest and cleanest bunches of grapes, ensuring optimal flavor and quality.⁠

🍇 This method provides options for winemakers. We choose to handpick our Pinot Noir so the bunches can be fermented whole or de-stemmed. Each fermentation imparts different flavours and characters.

Machine Harvesting

🍇 Consistent results in terms of grape quality and ripeness, as the machines are programmed to harvest at specific parameters set by the winemaker. This method is preferred for Sauvignon Blanc.

🍇 Modern harvesting machines are designed to be gentle on the vines and grapes, minimising damage to the fruit during the harvesting process. This helps preserve the integrity of the grapes and reduces the risk of oxidation or contamination.

🍇 Machines can harvest grapes quickly and efficiently, allowing for a faster turnaround time from vineyard to winery. This can be especially useful during periods of bad weather or when there's a need to harvest a large volume of grapes in a short time frame.

🍇 Generally this is more cost-effective than hand picking.