It’s the moment we have all been waiting for! Harvest time, the end of all hard work for the year has come; and while it may seem easy to do, it really isn't. Each step in the process takes a lot of work, but you will know why it is both rewarding and important from start to finish when you find out how much goes into making that glass of wine that you love so much.

The Harvest Season

The majority of the world's wine-producing areas are located in both hemispheres between the tempered latitudes of 30°-50° (depending on whether they are north or south).

The Harvest Season falls between August and October in the Northern Hemisphere and February to April in the Southern.

Because of the warmer environment all year, regions closer to the equator often begin harvesting earlier than those further away.

Wine harvesting season lasts two whole months because some grapes mature faster than others. Sparkling wine grape picking usually starts in early mid-August, while white wine grape picking starts shortly thereafter and goes until the end of September or the beginning of October. Red wine harvesting begins later - sometime in mid-late September - but lasts much longer, ending sometimes as late as early November.

Even within the same region and for the same grape varieties, the exact start and end dates of harvest vary from vineyard to vineyard. Years of experience have taught outstanding winegrowers to detect what a ripe grape tastes like; they can distinguish which grapes are ready simply by strolling through rows of them. Instead of tasting the grape to determine ripeness, there are certain scientific instruments such as a refractometer to assist this sense, most notably evaluating the overall balance between sugar content, acidity, and tannin levels. So that winemakers may decide based on the sort of wine they want to produce by looking at this brix.

The weather also plays a role in selecting when to pick. The vineyard team may shift or postpone picking due to hot or rainy conditions. Only a few days too early or too late might make a significant impact on the outcome. Climate change (particularly, global warming) is causing certain nations' harvest seasons to alter, but we still don't know what the future patterns will look like. Maintaining wine quality may become more challenging, but it may also drive certain locations into more optimally favorable climatic conditions for grape growing—who knows?

Plan Your Visit and Participate the Harvest

Right now, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the Season! If you live near a wine-producing region, there are lots of opportunities to jump into the harvest and help during this time. Wineries don't always have enough workers around when they need them so many vineyards want people to come to pick grapes for them on the same day.

Aside from merely being helpful, one might participate in ongoing activities. The wine-producing process, like harvest banquets and festivities, involves several phases and tasks. You can opt to participate in a hands-on experience after taking the appropriate safety steps, such as carrying baskets or stomping grapes, which is an old procedure. But, by the end of the day, you will have gained new abilities that you may apply to other aspects of your life.

It was finally time to start adding the yeast, which would signal the true beginning of my wine-making endeavors. After days upon days of tedious work, now we are able to ready to buy wine online without ever leaving my house!

While visiting the vineyard, you can read this informative article on How is Rose Wine Made to broaden your knowledge about what is happening around you.

Source by- https://www.apsense.com/article/the-wine-harvest.html