Green Harvest: Why We Cut Grapes in Midsummer

Even in the height of summer, the heat dictates the pace in the vineyard: plant protection is now particularly important and is often carried out at night – it’s simply too hot during the day. We’ve watered our young, replanted vines for the second time. In such a dry year, they need it to establish themselves properly.

Now begins the work that will determine this year’s vintage: the green harvest.

We selectively prune away some of the unripe grapes – between 20 and 40 percent, depending on the vineyard. In such a dry year, there isn’t enough water to allow all the grapes on the vine to ripen properly. If the vine bears too much fruit, its energy is spread across too many grapes – and none of them develop properly. By selectively removing unripe grapes, the remaining ones ripen better, and the vine is less stressed.

In this step, we also selectively remove leaves – mostly on the east side – to ensure good ventilation of the canopy. An open, airy grape zone dries faster after rain, keeping the grapes healthy.

The decisions we make now with our work in the vineyard will shape this year’s vintage and determine what we will soon be tasting in our glasses.