Grape harvest operations

Sorting the harvest to eliminate bad grapes is only possible with intact grapes. This operation is difficult with machine-harvested grapes. Cutters, however, may precede the harvester to eliminate most of the damaged, spoiled or unripe grapes. 

Two basic types of mechanical harvesters are operating in the vineyards. One type uses a set of fingers to beat the grape directly off the vine onto moving conveyor belts. The other hits the trunk of the vine, shaking the grapes off the vine indirectly. The machines normally pick about one acre per hour. Since North Coast pickers harvest 0.5-2 tons per day, the machine can pick the equivalent of 12 to 15 men in an eight-hour day. 

If press capacity permits, crushing and destemming shonld be avoided and the grapes should be hand-harvested and pressed immediately. These operations are only necessary when the grape undergoes skin maceration before pressing. 

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