Why Do They Pick Grapes At Night? Unveiling The Grape Harvesting Mystery

“Why do we harvest at night?” This question is often raised in discussions about optimizing grape harvesting processes. Vera highlights a crucial aspect, emphasizing, “Picking grapes at night ensures uniform temperature across all the grapes.” Koning further supports this notion, adding, “Harvesting during the night leads to enhanced wine quality, reduced energy expenditure, and increased operational efficiency.” Additionally, in regions with notably high temperatures, nighttime harvesting offers a more comfortable and cooler environment for the grape pickers [source: February 6, 2019].

When determining the optimal time for grape harvesting, it’s crucial to consider the potential for premature fermentation if grape skins are inadvertently damaged during the harvest process. If exposed to excessive warmth while being transported from the vineyard to the winery, grapes can initiate fermentation prematurely. As a preventive measure, numerous wineries opt to conduct grape harvesting either during the night or at dawn when the temperatures are the coolest outside, minimizing the risk of premature fermentation (source: 31st August 2011).