Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
are usually picked in November, and icewine harvest can happen in December or even
January.
Unlike some other fruit, grapes do not continue to ripen after they have been harves-
ted, so they must be picked at just the right time. During veraison, the sugar levels in the
fruit rise thanks to the stored carbohydrates in the plant and ongoing photosynthesis. At the
same time, the acid levels in the fruit drop. The balance between sugars and acid determ-
ines the best time to harvest your grapes. If you are an experienced winemaker, you will
have a pretty good idea what you are looking for in sugar content, pH, acid balance, and
a few other things. If you are a novice, I can give you a few basic concepts that growers
follow to comply with what winemakers want.
When the grapes are ripe and ready to harvest, start calling your friends to re-
cruit a team of pickers. These Dornfelder grapes are ripening in a Finger Lakes,
New York, vineyard.
