Harvest across the UK is just coming to a close, but what does harvest actually entail when it comes to wine?
The life-cycle of a vine......
Through the winter months the vine is dormant and the vineyard is not an exciting place to be.
In early spring the vines begin to wake up, signs life appear and we see green buds appear.
One of the biggest risks in the UK is a spring frost, if the frost gets into the emerging bud, then it is likely to see lower yields of grapes or worst case scenario, none at all.
To minimise the impact of frosts there are different practices. Such as, thinking where vines are planted (less frost prone areas). Candles in what look like paint pots to help a warm layer of air form on the vineyard floor. Air from frost fans are blown across the vineyard.
After bud burst, we have flower set and tiny flowers appear. After flowering comes fruit set, this is where we see the flowers turn into the tiny beads of grapes. Over the summer the vine will be carefully cultivated, pruned, managed and nurtured.
Making sure the canopy (the leaves ) don’t get too big is important. They need enough growth so they can absorb sufficient sunshine but also protect from dangers such as birds and insects.
The grapes will get bigger and bigger and then late summer/early autumn the grapes go through there final transition into Veraison.
All grapes are green to start with and when they go through Veraison, they will turn red /yellow/brown in colour depending on the variety. The acid in the grapes drops and the sugar rises.
All varieties of grapes need different growing times. Some have an early or late budding, early or late harvest. This is why the UK we don’t see many deep red varieties because they need a much longer growing season and we just don’t have enough sunshine hours for them to fully mature.
Finally the grapes are ready! Harvest dates change every year depending on the weather and when bud burst had occurred. Once harvest is underway it’s all systems go! Long days of picking and then moving the grapes to the winery ready for production into wine.
So how can we think about harvest and accessibility?
Many UK vineyards welcome the local community in for picking. It’s a great way to get involved and learn. It’s an accessible task for those who like space, you can pick on your own and at your own pace or, as part of a team if you like to be with people.
For those with accessibility needs, e.g in a wheelchair, grapes 🍇 grow at a beautiful height. They are normally on slopes and are at perfect picking height if you’re sitting or using a walking aid. Yes it may be difficult to lift crates but that’s what a team are for.
From a learning perspective, being hands on is a great way to understand where wine comes, from giving everyone including learning accessibility difficulties a more fulfilling learning experience.
So if you are opening your doors for harvest remember to let the community know it is open to all, and if you want to get involved with harvest, reach out to your local vineyard I am sure they would love the help!
Photos
WSET
@posingwithalcohol
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