Harvest time for our 2012 vintage is just a few days away. The grapes are plump and ripe and are being frequently tasted and analyzed. Once they are deemed perfectly well balanced and mature enough the harvest will begin!
Annually, the timing of the harvest depends on a number of factors, one of which is the process of Veraison. Veraison is the point in the growing season when grapes begin to soften and change colour from green to red in the case of Malbec. In Argentina this usually happens at the end of January or early February. Within 6 days of the start of veraison, the berries begin to grow dramatically as glucose accumulates and fructose and acids begin to fall. Grapes will usually be ready for harvest approximately 6 weeks after the onset of veraison, depending on weather conditions, irrigation and canopy management.
This year, yields across the Uco Valley will be slightly lower because of the impact of the Zonda wind earlier in the growing season. The good news is that with fewer berries per cluster, the quality of the grapes will be improved – naturally!