Choosing the time of the grape harvest to make wine

What does an ordinary person do when he decides to make homemade wine for the first time? That's right, he starts looking for a recipe. He calls friends who are at least somewhat familiar with winemaking, intensively searches the Internet, jumping from one site to another, and skims thematic forums. And all in order to find a simple recipe and make do with available materials, without spending money on any purchases. And the idea of ​​making wine often comes precisely when the grapes have already been picked, some of the berries are frozen, some are raisined, some are processed into juice, but the surplus is still quite large, and there is simply nowhere to put it. It was then that the brilliant idea of ​​making his own dawned on him. homemade wine. “Well, many people do it - and everything goes great! Why shouldn't I succeed? Why am I worse? - this man thinks. “Nothing,” we answer him. But remember: without at least a general understanding of the processes taking place during the preparation of wine, you are left to chance - and depending on your luck.

Even the ancients said that winemaking is an art. They compared the bottle good wine with a painting by a brilliant artist. On such a canvas, every stroke of the brush is carefully thought out, every stroke is in its place, and all this is imbued with an intuitive perception of the world. So it is here. It is impossible to make high-quality wine if you do not understand and intuitively feel the very nature of the grapes. That's why there isn't one universal recipe, not a single perfect technology has been developed. For the same reason, there are family secrets of making wine at the oldest wineries, where winemakers “feel” their grapes with their skin, and the cultivated vine is nurtured like a child. And even if you don't claim excellent quality product, it is still better to gain basic knowledge regarding the upcoming process.

Meanwhile, even such a seemingly simple step that precedes the main process as harvesting grapes deserves special attention. From correct collection depend, in particular, on the condition wild yeast, the optimal ratio of sugar content and acidity of berries.

Preserving the yeast

Beginner winemakers, focusing on the maximum simplicity of the recipe, obtain their drink using wild yeast. Colonies of wild yeast are found in abundance on the branches of the bunch and the skins of the grapes. For a proper fermentation process, it is necessary that as many of these “savages” as possible get into the wort. Otherwise, the sugar contained in the berries will not ferment completely, or even worse, the wort will not ferment at all. This is why the berries are not washed before processing.

Firstly: you cannot pick grapes immediately after rain, or within three days after it. It is clear that streams of water simply wash away a huge part of the yeast from the berries, and it takes time for those that survive to multiply. If the summer turns out to be rainy, and you can’t find a suitable time for collecting, you need to do it in advance homemade sourdough, which will support fermentation in difficult times.

Secondly: you cannot pick grapes early in the morning while there is still dew, at night when it has already fallen, and in the fog. In addition to the fact that moisture has a detrimental effect on the condition of the yeast, it also spoils the taste of the future drink, making it watery. In conditions of heat and moisture, putrefactive processes are activated, and if the bunch contains berries affected by rot, they are capable of a short time infect all your neighbors.

Thirdly: the bunches intended for making wine should be carefully cut with scissors or pruning shears, and the cut bunch should be held by the petiole so as not to damage such an important home winemaking coating on the berries, because there, in this coating, our yeast helpers live.

Fourth: to avoid damage to the berries, grapes after cutting for transportation are placed in flat containers, avoiding buckets and similar containers.

Sweet - sour

Then you must decide what you want your wine to look like and evaluate the area where your grapes grew in order to choose the most good time to collect it.

The right time has great importance for a balanced ratio of sweetness and acidity in the future drink. The berries should ripen as much as possible, but not overripe. Although here, not everything is so simple.

In countries with a warm climate and sweltering heat in the summer, residents prefer light table wines. Let us remember that these are dry wines of low strength. The strength, in turn, directly depends on the sugar content in the grapes - the more sugar there is, the higher the degree of wine will be. The maximum amount of sugar in varieties grown under the southern sun can be too much for light wines. Therefore, they begin to collect it before the moment of “physical” maturity, this is the so-called “technical” maturity. It is characterized not only by a certain level of sugar, but also by a certain degree of acidity. The grapes are picked when both of these indicators have reached the required values.

For the preparation of dessert, sweet wines, which are very popular in temperate Russian latitudes, on the contrary, the grapes are harvested when the berries have been picked maximum amount Sahara. Such grapes yield more strong wines. It is important not to overexpose the bunches on the vines. After physiological ripeness, if it is not quickly removed, the grapes rapidly “age” - they become overripe, losing acid. If there is a shortage own sugar in wine materials it is replenished with the addition of granulated sugar, thus preparing semi-sweet and sweet wines. It is more difficult to replenish lost acid.

Of course, in industrial scale To measure sugar and acid levels, special devices are used. At home, we recommend the following. A couple of weeks before the expected harvest, select several berries from clusters hanging at different heights, from different directions of the world and taste them. As soon as the sweetness has stopped growing, and the acid is no longer so caustic and stays at the same level for a couple of days, it’s time to harvest.

The ripeness of grapes can also be determined by their appearance. Red varieties acquire their color, and white berries become transparent, their peel becomes thinner, easily separates from the pulp, and the seeds darken and show through.

About temperature and selective assembly

As is known, the temperature for optimal fermentation fluctuates around 20° C. It is desirable that the grapes intended for making wine be at the same temperature. Therefore, you should not collect it in the midday heat - the best hours for collecting are recognized as morning and evening, when the temperature environment It just stays at 20° C.

Recycled for more quality results It is recommended to use freshly picked ripe grapes. And if you crush berries overheated by the sun, the wort will turn out to be very warm and will quickly ferment, leaving unprocessed sugar. Conversely, if harvesting is carried out at low temperatures, the bunches should be allowed to lie indoors and warm up until optimal temperature. Otherwise, fermentation may take a long time.

Getting only ripe bunches into processing ensures selective harvesting, when only ripe bunches are cut, and not the entire crop. Beverages made by the wine industry using selective cutting are much more expensive than those produced by full harvesting, since sampling involves additional effort and costs. This may not be so convenient on an industrial scale, but for home winemaking it is very suitable when the wine can be served in several stages in your free time.

When to collect Isabella

It is also necessary to take into account that the time for harvesting grapes of the same variety in different climatic zones can vary significantly.

In the temperate latitudes of Russia, which have more or less suitable climatic conditions for growing grapes, the Isabella variety has become widespread. Frost-resistant, undemanding to watering and fertilizers, to chemical protection from diseases and pests, it grows, giving a bountiful harvest. He grows, forgiving even the absolute inattention of his owner. And this, you see, is a very tempting characteristic for someone who chooses an unpretentious variety.

So, Isabella is harvested for making wine in the same year with a spread of up to forty days in different regions of our country. Still, it does not have time to ripen everywhere. Because grapes are now grown even in Siberia! Not Isabella, of course, but still. Twenty years ago this was considered impossible in principle. But that’s not about that now.

Isabella grapes belong to the table-technical variety. It is known to be used both for food and for making wine. In addition to examining the appearance and tasting, to determine the ripeness of Isabella, you must certainly smell the bunch. When fully ripe, the berries emit a characteristic aroma characteristic of this variety.

Icewine

To prepare this mysterious drink, translated as “ice wine,” none of the above is suitable. The inquisitive mind can guess the harvest time by its name. It comes after frost. The grapes are left on the vine and harvested after the berries are frozen naturally. Only under such conditions does the “technical” maturity of the grapes intended for making this wine occur. Winemakers, when planning to make ice wine, often take risks by leaving the harvest on the vine. The fact is that frosts must occur sharply, with a large difference in temperature. If this does not happen, and there is a long damp off-season, the crop may simply rot.

To summarize, let's say the following. The time at which the harvest is scheduled for a particular wine directly depends on weather conditions, ambient temperature, time of day, climatic zone and degree of ripeness of the grapes. The collection itself must be done carefully and carefully.

More information

One of gardeners' favorite plants is grapes - one of the oldest plants on the planet. The vine and grapes are called a symbol of fertility, labor and peaceful life. When growing it, you want to get a rich harvest of juicy and tasty berries. To do this, you need to know when the grapes ripen and other important points.

Harvesting grapes is a responsible process. It must be approached with special trepidation. The vine comes to life in the spring at an air temperature of + 10 °C. At this time, active movement of fluid begins, which is called the crying of grapes. Next comes swelling and bud opening. The warmer the air, the faster the leaves will appear.

Then the grapes begin to bloom. This is very important point, although it does not last long. It is best when this happens in dry weather with a light breeze. The wind will ensure good pollination, there will be no need to carry out additional work. The timing of grape ripening depends on many factors, including:

• air temperature;
• soil temperature;
• humidity;
• warm;
• sunlight;
• soil fertilization;
• good care;
• treatment for diseases.

During the ripening period, you need to take good care of the soil; it should be moderately moist. It is recommended to fertilize. When clusters begin to form, the plant slows down its growth. This allows the berries to fill, the grape bush increases in volume and part of the vine below becomes woody. Fruits ripen more slowly when the air temperature is below 20 °C. Under such conditions, they will grow small, sour, or may not ripen at all.

A gardener can help the grapes by adding boron and potassium permanganate, partially pruning leaves and removing shoots. An important factor for the ripening of grapes is weather conditions. Even how the grapes are harvested matters. It is worth remembering about the normalization of plants. Need to leave minimal amount bunches. This will allow you to get a good and timely ripened harvest.

Timing depending on variety

Plants are divided into different groups, depending on when the grapes are harvested. For early varieties during ripening, one of the signs is the suspension of the growth of young shoots, early formation and ripening of fruits. In the later ones, the opposite happens: first the young vine grows, and then the berries ripen. In order to provide for yourself for a long time tasty treat, gardeners plant bushes with different terms ripening. Grapes can be divided into six types based on how many days the fruit takes to ripen.

Very early

Super early grape varieties are in demand in places where summers are short or not very warm. These varieties ripen in about 100 days. Popular among them are:

• Olympics;
• Timur;
• Elegant.

These types of grapes are distinguished by ripening of berries exactly on time. Despite the name of the group, it is clear that they will not grow in a day. They can be collected as early as early August.

Very early

Very early varieties are most often grown in areas with harsh weather conditions. The choice is quite large, and the harvest is generous. These include fruitful frost-resistant grape varieties, for example, Crimean Pearl.

The period during which they will grow in your garden bed healthy treats, is 115 days.

Early

The early ones include species that have been proven over the years and produce good harvests in harsh climates. They are easy to care for and unpretentious. The ripeness of the berries is checked by color and taste. For example, the Yantar and Donetsk pearl varieties grow for about four months.

Early-middle

Early-middle grape varieties are found in the south. Beautiful large berries– a real find for winegrowers and winemakers. These species are used for the production of table wines. They also ripen in about 135 days and tolerate cold well. Gardeners choose Russian Concord and Arcadia for growing in their summer cottages.

Average

Medium varieties are most grown in those places where industrial berry processing plants have been built. Their collection dates fall at the end of August - beginning of September. Very delicious berries varieties Muscat Odessa, Startovy. Many of them are well stored and suitable for transportation.

Late

Late ripening grapes include grapes that ripen for five months. It gives a high yield and is well stored. It is grown more in places where warm weather prevails over cold. If unexpected cold weather occurs, then a small amount of The bunches will still have to be cut.

Do not regret the lost fruits, you can get a generous harvest. A very late grape variety ripens within 165–170 days. The grape harvest is carried out in October, or even in early November. You can store it in the refrigerator until December and it will not lose its appearance and taste.

Harvesting

Really tasty and healing berries The grapes become ripe when they are completely ripe. At this point you can begin harvesting. Grapes of dark varieties have a dark blue color when ripe, but if most of the berries are brown, this tells us that the berries are not ripe. For white grape varieties ripe berries amber or golden color, and unripe ones have a dirty green appearance.

It is also important to note that bunches of grapes that are fully ripe are darker at the junction with the shoot, the berry softly comes off the tail, is fragrant and sweet. When cutting bunches of grapes, it is very important not to erase the coating that covers the berries, since removing it causes the fruit to deteriorate faster.

Early varieties ripen faster and are not stored for long, so they need to be sold immediately after harvest.

Middle and late species can be stored on bushes for a long time. Grapes should be harvested in dry weather, best in the morning without dew or in the evening, and in no case after rain. For storage, use a spacious room, place the bunches in boxes or hang them by their tails.

Video “Summer pruning of grapes”

From this video you will learn how to properly prune grapes in summer.

The quality of the harvested grapes depends both on the correct execution of agrotechnical techniques and on the time of harvesting ripe bunches. The grapes must be harvested within a certain period of time, which guarantees the ripeness of the fruits and their suitability for consumption, winemaking and preservation.

Every gardener should know when the grapes grown in the garden are ripe.

It is worth noting that there are two types of ripeness:

• physical maturation. In this case, harvesting is carried out only after the bunches begin to correspond technical requirements products that will be made from berries (for example, wine);
• technical maturation. The harvest time depends on the technology used to process the unripe crop.

The timing of the ripening of this crop is influenced by the following factors:

• varietal characteristics. Today there are a wide variety of different varieties, which according to ripening periods are divided into early, middle, late, etc.;
• agrotechnical practices that were carried out during the growing season of grapes. For this crop, proper and complete watering of the bushes, feeding and pruning are very important. The fruits will ripen better if foliar fertilizing with potassium permanganate and boron has been applied. At the same time, nitrogen-containing fertilizers delay ripening. It is also worth noting that tinned bushes form a harvest much later than those plants whose row spacing was left under black fallow;
• damage to bushes by diseases and pests. The harvest on such plants will ripen much more slowly;
• weather. This indicator is especially affected by temperature factors, which can either accelerate ripening time or slow it down.

Speaking about weather factors, it is worth noting that when the temperature drops below +20 °C, the rate of berry ripening significantly slows down. A lack of moisture in the soil has the same effect. If a combination of both of these factors is observed, then the fruits may generally remain small and sour. If watering is excessive, this will lead to the fact that the berries will slowly begin to accumulate sugar in their pulp. In this case, it is possible that the crop will begin to rot and burst.

When the period of grape ripening begins, the bunches acquire an appropriate appearance that corresponds to the varietal characteristics: the berries increase in size, the color of their skin changes, the taste becomes sweeter, etc. An aerometer will help determine ripeness. This device is used to check the sugar level in fruits. You can also use a refractometer, which allows you to assess the degree of ripeness of the bunch. If the ripening period is delayed, it is recommended to cut off some of the clusters that are not ripe. This will speed up the ripening process of the remaining bunches.

This method is often used for late varieties in order to avoid crop loss due to frost. The timing of grape ripening is largely determined varietal characteristics. The above factors can only shift the collection time to a certain extent.

Video “Grape Care”

In this video you will hear useful tips for grape care.

Ripening times for different varieties

It is not difficult to determine the ripening time of grapes by variety. They are indicated on the packaging (in days). During this period, the bush will grow and form a crop. This parameter reflects how many days should pass from the moment the central bud in the eye blooms on the bush. From this period you need to keep a report. If you track this moment, it will not be difficult to calculate the time of picking berries.

For example, if the bud awakening took place on April 25, and the ripening period for this variety is 105–115 days, then the harvest will occur in the first days of September. In this case, harvesting should not be done exactly on the same day, but should be guided by weather conditions and the speed of fruit ripening. Let's look at when grapes ripen depending on the characteristics of the variety.

Very early

The extra-early variety produces ripe berries on days 95–105 of development. Typically, such varieties can be harvested at the end of July or at the beginning of August.

Very early

Fruiting of very early varieties occurs on days 105–115. This means that in this case you need to pick ripe berries in the first half of August.

Early

Early varieties begin to ripen at about 115–120 days. Therefore, when proper care such varieties will give delicious harvest in the second half of August.

Early-middle

Early-middle species begin to sing from 120 to 125 days. In this case, the berries from the grape bush can be picked at the end of August.

Average

Varieties with an average period of fruit ripening give a full harvest in 125–135 days. Thus, the collection here is carried out starting in September.

Late

Late-ripening varieties bear fruit in 135–150 days. In this case, the harvest of berries from the bushes is carried out in the second half of September and can even extend until the beginning of October. Now you understand when grapes ripen depending on varietal characteristics.

Harvesting

We found out the harvest date from different varieties. Now it remains to find out how the grapes are harvested. To do this, you first need to determine the optimal day. The weather outside should be warm and sunny. Collection should be done before lunch. Before harvesting, the bunch must be checked with a hydrometer to ensure its ripeness.

When the bunches are cut, they need to be carefully examined to identify unripe and rotten berries.

Unripe fruits are cut off and placed in a separate place, where they reach the required condition. After this, the grapes can be used for their intended purpose (eat, make wine from them, make compotes, etc.) or sent for storage. It is worth noting that different varieties have different period storage of fruits. Knowing when grapes ripen, you can choose the optimal time for their ripening and get a tasty harvest in maximum quantities.

It's a beautiful autumn time, the trees are covered in red gold, and for gardeners it's time to harvest the grapes. It is he who is the symbol of the end and summing up of the outgoing summer season.

This plant has many varieties, they differ in the size of the berries, their color, taste, and ripening period. To truly enjoy the taste of the fruits and the aroma of the wine you make yourself, you need to pick them on time.

Harvest dates

During the period of grape ripening, its acidity decreases (the malic acid found in the fruits becomes tartaric acid). At the same time, the sugar level increases, the color corresponding to the variety is acquired, and especially important aromatic compounds and minerals accumulate.

The time for harvesting grape bunches depends on the purpose of using the berries. For use in fresh they are cut at the stage of consumer ripeness:

• The color of the fruit corresponds to the variety grown

• they contain the accumulated required level of sugar

• they have a persistent aromatic odor

If the berry is intended for processing, it is cut at the stage of technical ripeness, this is when it is ripe, but not too sweet and aromatic.

When scheduling the collection time, it is also necessary to take into account weather conditions - this means that the weather must be dry outside so that there is no dew on the berries. If the taste, color, and aroma are satisfactory, you can start picking grapes.

Admirers wine drink should know that its taste and aromatic properties depend on the quality of the grapes. To make the wine successful, the berries are harvested according to the following rules:

• Do not collect after rain, in the morning or evening, when there is dew or fog

• You can’t pick the bunches, they must be cut

• hot lunchtime is not at all suitable for collecting, since when high temperature air, the harvest begins to ferment

• It is best to harvest as the berries ripen

• If there are rotten berries, you should hurry up with the harvesting process

The time of harvest is influenced by the grape variety, the brand of the future wine, and the location of the vineyard. In regions with colder climates, varieties are grown that contain maximum sugar during the harvest period, and strong alcoholic drinks are made from them.

Common variety Isabella

Frost-resistant Isabella grapes have taken root well and are grown everywhere in our territory. It is grown in the Volga region, Siberia, and in black earth regions. This is a tableware type, used not only for food. Thanks to the excellent taste qualities, high yield, resistance to adverse weather conditions, the berry has become popular in wine making. It can be large, medium in size, but the color is always dark blue with a whitish coating. It is characterized by: tart, but sweet taste with sourness, slimy pulp. A ripe bunch has the average size, winged conical shape.

The variety is late, so for those who are interested in when Isabella grapes are harvested, the farmers have designated the period - the end of September in the southern zone, in the middle latitudes - October. But some gardeners leave the berries to hang until November, as they say, so that they gain sugar, then the fruits impress with their aromatic smell and pleasant sweetness.

It is also important to know that although this variety in the form of wine was exported to us from America, it is now prohibited in European countries and the United States. This is due to the fact that the fruits contain an increased amount of pectin, which turns into methanol during fermentation.

Medicine often warns that drinks containing Isabella grapes are very dangerous to human health. But fresh it can be consumed as much as you like, as well as in the form of juices, jams, preserves and others. delicious desserts. Fresh Isabella improves immunity, helps with fatigue, invigorates, and removes toxins from the body. In addition, it is still a favorite of home wine lovers.

Determining the ripeness of grapes on the vine

Quality, taste, healing, nutritional properties appear only in ripe berries. Collected ahead of time, they do not look attractive, are poorly transported and stored. During storage, the berries do not ripen, but only spoil. So the harvest should be harvested on time.

But how to determine the ripeness of grapes on a bush?

Ripe white varieties have a beautiful amber color with a golden tint, while unripe varieties have a dull greenish color. Dark varieties mature ones have the same dark color berries

You should pay attention to other distinctive features:

• the stalk with which the clusters are attached to the vine must be hard and woody

• the berry is soft and easy to tear off

• there should be no sharp acidity in the taste of the berry

• there is a rich sweetness

• the fruit should have a transparent and thin skin

• the seeds are easily separated from the pulp and are brown in color

• a well-defined aroma must correspond to the variety

If the ratio of acid and sugar in the fruit is pleasant to the taste, the grapes can be considered ripe. If it is noticeable from the bunches that they will not ripen before the cold weather, the leaves on the sunny side are urgently removed, and the stepsons are shortened to two leaves. Grapes in the shade are immediately exposed to the sun.

Cutting and storing grape bunches

Grapes should be cut carefully, holding them from below, without pressing the berries, in order to preserve the waxy coating on them. It not only gives the bunches aesthetics, but also preserves the fruit’s resistance to rotting. The tool used is a sharp pruner and garden shears.

Different grape varieties have different ripening times. Early ripening varieties in the full ripeness phase must be cut quickly and also sold. Mid-season grapes can hang without spoiling until frost. It is better to cut table varieties in dry weather, and if it has rained, they begin work in two days. The berries need some time to evaporate excess moisture.

You cannot pluck individual berries from the bunches remaining on the vine; this will attract birds and wasps, which can ruin not only a single branch, but the entire harvest.

If you follow the storage rules, you can enjoy fresh grapes until the month of May. It is better to store it in a dark, ventilated basement where there is no light at all. It destroys the acid and sugar in the berries, and the characteristic taste is lost.

Not very juicy grapes, harvested at the stage of full ripeness and in dry weather, can be stored in layers sprinkled with sawdust.

Bunches folded in a box at an angle and in one layer must be regularly inspected and damaged specimens removed.

Mid- and late-ripening varieties have good preservation because their clusters are loose, the skin of the berries is thick, and the pulp is dense.

The duration and quality of storage are also influenced by plant care, applied fertilizers, and yield.

Not all varieties can be stored, and if the bush is watered abundantly, the berries will not last long.

To keep grapes well and for a long time:

• watering ends six weeks before picking berries

• reduce the load on the bush; if this is not done, the berries will become sluggish and crumble. This fact is relevant for a massive variety of bunches, so it is better to choose an option with a smaller harvest, but of high quality

• Fertilizer application rates should not be exceeded. Phosphorus and potassium have a positive effect on the shelf life during foliar and root feeding

• form a bush using the standard method with a height of up to seventy centimeters

Harvesting grapes in a timely manner is as important as properly growing sun-loving crops. Delay is unacceptable, since every day the losses amount to 2–3% or more if the harvesting is delayed and the berries begin to deteriorate. The harvest time is determined by the sugar content of the grapes - the sugar accumulation of the bunches should be maximum.

How to determine the time of harvest ripening

Agronomists recognize the time of vine ripening by two factors:

1. Physical ripening - harvesting begins after all the grapes have ripened.
2. Technical – the period is determined based on the requirements for wine products. Although the bunches may remain physically immature.

Grapes are considered ripe when several factors combine:

• Rich shade of grapes.
• Measurements of sugar content with a hydrometer at intervals of 1 - 2 days show the desired value.
• Control with a refractometer confirms the ripeness of the grapes.

It is preferable to use a hydrometer because it shows more accurate data.

Using a hydrometer, we determine the degree of ripeness of the grapes as follows:

1. From several bushes we cut brushes with a total weight of 3 - 4 kg.
2. We make juice from raw materials.
3. We examine the strained juice with a hydrometer, which shows the amount of sugar. We draw up a harvest plan based on comparative data. We calculate them by increasing the percentage.

If the number of rotten berries on the vine is steadily increasing, we harvest the grapes a little earlier, avoiding mass damage to the bunches.

Technical varieties

The harvest of technical varieties is taken when the grapes ripen before the accumulation of berries required quantity sugar and acids. These indicators depend on the type of wine that will subsequently be prepared from the grapes. The same variety reaches technical maturity in different time, which depends on the purpose of using the crop.

It is preferable to collect technical varieties using a continuous method. But sometimes agronomists use selective harvesting if there are variety impurities or disease-affected bunches among valuable specimens. Thus, enterprises receive high-quality raw materials for the preparation of juices and fine wines.

Rules for harvesting table varieties

Table grapes are usually harvested at the stage of consumer ripeness. The sugar content of very early and early varieties should start at 12%. For other varieties, a value of 14% and higher is acceptable. The maturity of table varieties is assessed by taste and external signs. IN laboratory conditions The maturity of the culture is determined by chemical analysis.

It has been noticed that with increased sugar content, clusters of table varieties are preserved better. Due to the uneven ripening of the clusters, the harvest is harvested in 2–3 stages. Between cleanings take a break of 5 - 7 days. When removing the bunches, do not allow them to be damaged and the prune coating to be erased. Improves raid marketable condition fruits and protects them from rotting. During harvesting, the grape brush is held by the comb.

Increased accuracy in work is necessary if the grapes will be transported over long distances or will remain in storage for a long time. Under no circumstances should cut brushes be kept on open sun or leave it in the rain. Containers filled with bunches should be immediately removed to a shaded area of ​​the yard.

Principles of harvesting and storing grapes

IN middle lane In Russia and other regions of the CIS, grapes begin to be harvested in August, when the fruits are well ripe. The degree of ripeness is determined not only using instruments, but also by taste. Juiciness and ripeness indicate the readiness of the raw material to be cut.

If you don't know when to pick grapes for wine, taste them. For light table drinks and white varieties, the berries should have noticeable sourness and a minimum of sweetness. But the grapes should not be too green, otherwise the wine will acquire a grassy aftertaste.

If the brushes go for semi-sweet or dessert wine, grapes should be harvested when the fruits have gained more sugar. In other words, they must become overripe. Some winemakers use dried fruits to give the drink a specific raisin taste.

How to properly harvest grapes? To keep the bunches well, they are cut in dry weather. There should be no rain or dew while working in the garden. It is advisable to cut the brushes before noon, then they will emit a more intense aroma.

When asked what is the best way to harvest grapes, agronomists answer that this should be done in several stages, focusing on the maturity of the bunches. The selective approach is more troublesome and time consuming. However, for the sake of receiving quality wine It's worth trying.

In general the process looks like this:

1. The brushes are carefully taken by the comb and cut with pruning shears, without touching the berries.
2. The harvested crop is carefully inspected.
3. High-quality raw materials are placed in wooden boxes measuring 40 x 60 x 20 or deep baskets with a capacity of 10 - 12 kg (the baskets are pre-covered inside with burlap).
4. The container is placed in the shade under a canopy.
5. For storage, the grapes are placed in the refrigerator, placed in plastic bags, or in the basement.

It is convenient to store large quantities of grapes in boxes. The bottom of the container is sprinkled with hardwood sawdust. The thickness of the layer is 2 cm. The clusters are laid out on the sawdust in one layer and the raw materials are sprinkled with a thicker layer of shavings - 4 - 5 cm. The boxes are taken to the cellar, where the temperature is stable at +2 - 3°C.