🌿 Green harvest
Cutting off some unripe bunches in summer so the rest ripen better.
Green harvest is cutting off part of the unripe bunches in summer, while the berries are still green. It is done so that the remaining bunches ripen better.
Why? A vine supplies a certain amount of nutrients. If too many bunches are left, there is less for each, and berries ripen worse. If some are removed, the rest gain more sugar, colour and aroma. In other words, yield goes down and quality goes up. Green harvest is usually done in July and August, when berries are just starting to change colour.
The work is done by hand with shears, so it is costly. Cut bunches stay in the vineyard, and no wine is made from them. Growers decide on it when they see the crop is too big. In some designations the rules directly limit the amount of grapes per hectare. Green harvest is one way of managing the crop. Another is winter pruning.
How it connects to Wine
🌿 Green harvest → kind of → 🌿 Yield (wine) → kind of → 🌿 Viticulture → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Next step
- 🌿 Yield (wine)
- Part of
- 🌿 Yield (wine)
Frequently asked questions
What is green harvest?
Cutting off part of the unripe bunches in summer so the rest ripen better.
Why is it done?
To reduce yield and raise the quality of the remaining grapes.
When is it done?
Usually in July and August.