Everything you need to know about the grape harvest

Harvest season has finally arrived in our beautiful French wine-growing regions. It is an important time, as it is the result of the winemaker's year-long work. A convivial occasion, the grape harvest is a true part of French culture. Let's discover everything about this harvest together.

What is the grape harvest?

The French word for grape harvest, vendanges, comes from the term vendémiaire, the name of the first month of the French Republican calendar, which lasted from September 22 to October 21. It refers to the grape harvest period, which in France generally takes place between September and October. The harvest refers to picking grapes intended for wine production. The plural term vendanges is used to refer generally to the period during which the operation takes place.

The harvest period varies according to the region and climate. It can take place between late July and mid-October. However, it primarily corresponds to the period when the grapes have reached their level of maturity - that is, when the ratio between sugar and acidity has reached its optimal level of stability.

The different methods

There are two types of harvesting: manual harvesting and mechanical harvesting. The choice of harvesting method depends on the desired quality of the wines, the costs, and the values the estate wishes to uphold or highlight.

Manual harvesting is often used in the production of superior-quality wines or sparkling wines such as champagne, where bunch selection is more rigorous. It is also widely used for organic, biodynamic, and natural wines, as it meets the expectations and philosophy of winemakers. Finally, this harvesting method is also practiced in vineyards where machines cannot operate, for example when the terrain is unsuitable or the vine rows are too narrow. Manual harvesting has higher production costs because it requires a large workforce. Indeed, it requires pickers or cutters. Using pruning shears, they cut the grape bunches and place them in buckets, small crates, or wicker baskets. The bunches are then placed in a basket carried on the back or a crate, which is transported by a carrier to the edge of the plot. During manual harvesting, sorting takes place at the same time as the grapes are picked.

Mechanical harvesting is more economical. It is carried out by tractors designed to straddle one or two rows of vines, called straddle tractors. Straddle tractors cannot sort the grape bunches. Therefore, after harvesting, winemakers place the bunches on sorting tables before sending them to the press.

Customs

In France, harvest time is a deeply rooted festive tradition in wine-growing regions, as it is the most significant stage in winemaking. It marks the end of work in the vineyard (viticulture) and the beginning of work in the winery (vinification). Each region therefore makes a point of properly celebrating the end of this process. In Champagne, and more specifically in the Marne region, the end-of-harvest celebration is called the Cochelet. The Cochelet tradition comes from an old end-of-harvest custom dating back to the Middle Ages. On this occasion, a rooster was brought to the meal and made to drink wine. The animal, drunk at that point, was then released amid the guests' laughter. At the time, cochelet referred to the church steeple's rooster.

Although the rooster has disappeared, the tradition of gathering for a festive meal remains. In Burgundy, several traditions coexist. The best known is the Paulée. The Paulée is a traditional meal where everyone brings their best wine. The famous Meursault Paulée, which concludes "Les Trois Glorieuses" (a major Burgundian celebration held at Clos de Vougeot, in Beaune during the Hospices wine auction, and then in Meursault), is traditionally celebrated on the third weekend of November. The name Paulée comes from the dialect word paule, meaning shovel, and refers to the final shovel of grapes poured into the press. In the Mâconnais and Beaujolais regions, the celebrations are called R'voule. The program includes a meal featuring meat in sauce and waffles for dessert! Finally, in the Bordeaux region, Gerbaude is the traditional celebration. Its name comes from the word "sheaf" - a bundle of stems covered with flowers that was placed on the very last cart of the harvest.

An incredibly early 2020 harvest!

This year, 2020, the harvest is breaking all records for earliness! Indeed, it had been more than 40 years since the harvest had taken place so early. The reason? Exceptional sunshine and record-breaking heat throughout the first half of the year. 2020 promises to be an exceptional vintage. Special mention goes to Domaine Fichet, the first estate with which Domaine du Goût collaborated for its gift box, and the first estate to launch the harvest season this year, on Wednesday, August 12, 2020.