You can make great wine from great grapes, but you can't make great wine from terrible grapes. Harvest time is when all the hard work in the vineyard comes to fruition, and the next vintage begins!

The timing of the harvest is critical and varies around the world based on climate and risk factors. In warm climates, winemakers worry about grapes over-ripening and drying out. In cool climates like ours, the concerns are different—we watch for disease and bird damage before the grapes are ready. As grapes ripen, their sugar levels rise and acid levels fall, making them more attractive to pests, but also building the key components of a great wine.

When the winemakers and vineyard manager decide the balance of sugar and acid is just right, the work begins.

Hand-Harvesting vs. Mechanical Harvesting

At Pooley Wines, we mainlyhand-harvestour vineyards. This is exactly as it sounds: a team of pickers moves through the rows with secateurs and buckets, hand-picking each bunch and carefully leaving behind any damaged or underripe fruit. This method gives us the highest level of control and the gentlest handling of the grapes, ensuring only the best fruit makes it into the bottle. In the past, pickers were sometimes paid by weight, which could lead to extra material mixed in with the grapes, but today, expert pickers focus on quality.

Mechanical harvestingis another method that uses a machine to vibrate the vines, making the grapes fall onto a conveyor belt. While highly efficient, this method limits certain winemaking techniques. For example, since the machine only collects the grapes and fewer stems or stalks remain, methods like whole bunch fermentation are not an option.

Mechanical harvesting can also lead toMOG (Matter Other than Grapes)—anything from leaves and stems to trellis and irrigation parts that have been knocked loose. These must be painstakingly removed at the winery before the grapes can move on to the next step.

The Risks of a Long Harvest

The harvesting process can take several months, as some grape varieties ripen earlier than others. This long period adds the risk of poor weather affecting the grapes. Heavy rainfall can "waterlog" the grapes, diluting their flavours. Dry weather can dehydrate them and reduce juice output, and wind or hail can cause physical damage. This constant worry in the vineyard—waiting for the grapes to ripen and hoping the weather holds out—is a familiar feeling for winemakers.

While warmer climate vineyards might start harvesting in January and finish within a month, cool climates like Tasmania don't start until late February or March and can continue picking until early May. It's a true test of patience and a reflection of the challenges and rewards of cool-climate winemaking.