Section 5 · September–October
Harvest
Deciding when, and picking against the weather.
The pick is rarely called on perfect ripeness. It is called on four days of forecast, the state of the fruit, and how much of the crew is available before the weather turns.
What these months decide
September–October| Month | In the vineyard | What it costs to get wrong | |
|---|---|---|---|
| September | Sampling begins; the first blocks come off | A day too long in warm rain and it rots | |
| October | The main pick; rows empty from the top down | A wet week and the crew waits on the headland |
Entries in Harvest
4 entries- Picking against the weatherThe decision is rarely about perfect ripeness; it is about what the forecast says for the next four days.
- Hand or machineWhat each brings in, and what each leaves behind.
- The morning pickFruit brought in cold, and why temperature matters at the press.
- Rot and triageSorting on the way in, and the difference between two kinds of rot.