Impact of light showers during harvest?

[anthocyanin]

The vineyard I am supposed to be picking from this weekend has a chance of stray showers in the forecast during the harvest. I am concerned about dilution - what are ways to mitigate this and is it even a concern for light showers? I might be able to re-schedule my picking time to be slightly outside of the forecased showers.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

If you can, make sure that your picking bins are covered with a tarp (or ideally under some sort of tent/canopy. If the rain doesn't come on until harvest time I wouldn't be so concerned about intrinsic dilution of the grapes.

 

[Rocky]

As wine is about 85% water, I doubt that a little rainfall will be a factor.

 

[ibglowin]

The biggest issue with rain right before or during harvest is usually a heavy rain that then gets taken up by the vines and will then lower the Brix and TA of the grapes a substantial amount.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

The biggest issue with rain right before or during harvest is usually a heavy rain that then gets taken up by the vines and will then lower the Brix and TA of the grapes a substantial amount.

And, depending on your pruning habits you run greater risk of fungal and other infections...

 

[anthocyanin]

Looks like I'll be OK then - and also the weather report now got revised to a low chance of showers on my picking day. The rains will start to get going after I've already picked

 

[Rocky]

The biggest issue with rain right before or during harvest is usually a heavy rain that then gets taken up by the vines and will then lower the Brix and TA of the grapes a substantial amount.

This is true, but from the vintner's point of view, they get more juice. I remember a year when I lived in Rochester and the Summer was very dry and hot. The Vineyard across the street from where I lived was testing their grapes which had a high sugar content. Just before harvest in October, there were two days of a moderately heavy rain, which plumped up the grapes so that the juice yield was phenomenal. The wine was very good, also.

I understand that this is anecdotal, but there it is.

 

[Nebbiolo020]

Light rain is fine heavy rain could ruin the grapes

 

[ChuckD]

Light rain is fine heavy rain could ruin the grapes

Disease? Wouldn’t think it could act fast enough if it happens on harvest day.

Lower brix? Couldn’t it be adjusted?

I’m seriously wondering how.

 

[Hazelemere]

The biggest issue with rain right before or during harvest is usually a heavy rain that then gets taken up by the vines and will then lower the Brix and TA of the grapes a substantial amount.

this answer is spot on. I just picked the last of my vineyard grapes this morning to avoid wasps and rain starting tomorrow with 7 continuous days of rain in the forecast. My grapes were all picked dry and flavorful,, the best I've seen since 2003. I have some cracked skins (powdery mildew) and mummies (botrytis) that I have to cull, but what I am getting as culled grapes is high quality. This year my son in law (my apprentice) and I are making wines with new yeasts 1) 71B 2) V13 3) D-47 which I have never used until this year having used EC-1118 in the past. The 71B wines, even the fruit wines taste good. I have a RC212-71B home-grown organic Regent Red at 1.010 which I'll press tomorrow which is very nice and probably the best I've ever tasted from this varietal. Tomorrow I'm processing 900 lbs Washington Sheridan Vineyard Chardonnay with my daughter and son in law. We'll make second run from sediment and skins to blend with a cyser and apple wine(s) to make two Cyser Pyment 2023s from second run Chardonnay - first Cyser Pyment and my homegrown white second runs - second Cyser Pyment. Tomorrow morning I'm culling my own Reichensteiner and Madeleine Angevine grapes to remove mildewed or botritized grapes so I can make a really good second run (no water or extra sugar). On Sunday I'll hand destem my homegrown Marechal Foch and start a RC212-71B ferment uncrushed. Good luck to all of you with your wines.

 

[Nebbiolo020]

Disease? Wouldn’t think it could act fast enough if it happens on harvest day.

Lower brix? Couldn’t it be adjusted?

I’m seriously wondering how.

It dilutes the flavors and aromas and grapes can drop fast in brix

 

[ChuckD]

@Nebbiolo020 @ibglowin
Thanks for the education! I have read a lot about growing grapes and have never heard about this (threat of heavy rains). My first harvest should be next year and this all helps.

 

[verdot]

In my experience, rainfall can lower 1-2 brix if there is rain drops still on the grapes. A little rain adds up.

 

[wood1954]

i picked last friday and the night before got 3/4" of rain. all it did was wash off some dust.