"All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all"

How well I still remember that hymn which always seemed to be sung at the Harvest Festival service in our parish church. And everywhere, there was the bounty of the Harvest, fruit, flowers, giant pumpkins grown on the allotments, tomatoes, all kinds of vegetables. And through the mists of time, I recall lots of tins of food - all freshly harvested! Of course, the food was distributed to those in need, so it didn't matter that not everything had been freshly picked - it's the thought that counts!

As I write this, the grape harvest is now just about complete, save for those really cool pockets of vineyards where they might have a couple of weeks to go still (I wonder if Cederberg has started yet?) and the winemakers and viticulturalists are looking forward to catching up on some lost hours of sleep.

"It seemed like I had only just fallen asleep when the alarm buzzed me awake at 3.00am. For a split second I hated Sauvignon Blanc! Why does its fragile chemical make-up have to differ so much from other varieties? Why does it have to be so sensitive to warm harvesting conditions? Then the excitement of the early morning harvest shook me wide awake and I drove up the hill to meet Ted at block M1."
So wrote Gary Jordan in the Jordan Diary on 30th January.

But they also know that this is the most crucial time of the year, when every minute counts, choosing that critical point in the ripening process when the grapes are physiologically ripe, and the balance between sugar and acid is optimal. And then the fun begins!

Grapes being the fickle things that they are, tend not to ripen at the same time, which in some respects is a good thing. Certain varieties are known to be late ripening, Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, and Sauvignon Blanc ripens early.

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are picked much earlier if they are to be used for Champagne (Cap Classique) than would be the case if they were to be used for still wine. This knowledge enables the winemaker to plan the utilisation of the cellar, tanks etc. However, the best laid plans………!

Unexpected changes in weather conditions, such as the heat-wave in January, play havoc with sugar levels suddenly shooting up, or causing varieties to ripen much earlier than anticipated. Similarly, the spell of cold wet weather in February suddenly caused the vines to "shut down" for a few days. Even within the same farm, Sauvignon Blanc can ripen over a period of a couple of weeks depending on their micro-climate, elevation, etc. Higher, cooler vineyards will ripen later than low lying warmer ones.

The traditional method of harvesting involves hordes of pickers cutting individual bunches which are put into plastic lug boxes holding about 10kgs of fruit, which are then either tipped into a large bin, or transported in the boxes to the cellar. Transporting in the boxes helps to prevent damage and splitting.

However, mechanised harvesting is now becoming common-place as it is much faster, more efficient and cost-effective. This is particularly the case where labour is scarce or expensive, such as Australia and Europe. However, steep slopes require manual harvesting, and in certain cases only the very best bunches are selected for premium wines, so experienced pickers are required.

Whatever method is used, the main purpose is to get the grapes to the cellar as quickly as possible to avoid oxidation, and keeping them as cool as possible. For this reason harvesting often takes place at night or very early in the morning.

In South Africa, the harvest can start as early as the beginning of January in the warmest regions, and will only finish towards the end of May in the coolest regions, by which time some farms have already released their new vintages.

(In early April the first Sauvignon Blancs start to hit the shelves, though my own preference is to leave these until at least next spring. The better-quality 2005 and 2006 Sauvignons are drinking superbly now.) But whenever it finishes, tradition dictates that the Harvest is celebrated, usually with a feast for the workers, though mechanisation is leading to this celebration dying out somewhat.

But one tradition that remains strong is that at Harvest time, or any time, you will always find reason to celebrate at Manuka Fine Wines!

Stephen Digby
Manuka @ Southeys