Grape Picking Time!

When summer starts to draw to a close it also means its time to harvest the grapes.

Probably the most social aspect of grape growing, it can be a family and friends affair with all hands on deck. The recruits turn up before dawn to take off the nets (which were put on just when the sugars start to ripen the fruit and they become irresistible to the local wildlife) and to take advantage of the coolest time of the day.

Depending how many people you've got and how big the vineyard is (and how many tonnes you want picked) it can take 3 to 4 hours. Enough to work up a large appetite for the big breakfast that your host provides.

From there the grapes are trucked off to the winemaker.

Later it returns triumphantly. In a bottle, capped and labeled. Proud to be called this years vintage.

Be sure to browse through the photos added below.