Definition: Harvest (date of)

In our climate, the date of the harvest (picking of ripe grapes) depends first and foremost on the date of flowering of the vine (in Switzerland from early to mid-June), which generally lasts one week. Three months after flowering (precisely 100 to 105 days on average), the grapes are ripe. The date of the harvest is decided on the basis of grape samples, which are analysed for sugar content and acidity, by tasting the grapes, by observing the uniformity of ripeness of all the bunches, and also by taking into account the weather forecast. This decision has a significant influence on the quality of the raw material to be transformed into wine. Rainfall during the harvest has a negative impact on the quality of the vintage.