Here´s hoping that Bacchus is kind to everyone, and we´ll take care of the plugs
Although it´s difficult to set a date for the start of the harvest in the calendar, wine producers make their calculations as the year goes on, watching how the berries ripen, ensuring the degree of maturation of the grapes is consistent with the type of wine they intend to produce… And harvesting only begins when the wine producer and the vine grower agree that the balance between the sugar maturity and the physiological maturity of the grapes is just right.
September is normally the ideal harvesting month in Spain. When most Spanish denominations of origin* begin to pick their grapes, however climatic conditions are changing every year and this affects maturation times.
And as the Spanish proverb goes, “Por San Mateo, la vendimia arreo” (21 September), however, if the harvest is late, and starts at the time of the “Por el Pilar, todos a vendimiar” (12 October). Few things are truer than popular sayings, which are generally short phrases featuring consonant rhyme and plenty of wisdom.
At times the harvest is delayed and at others it is brought forward in order to avoid adverse weather conditions, such as in the event of a heavy hailstorm which would damage the grapes. Another hazard which might result in the harvest being brought forward is excessive rain, as the water would dilute the sugar in the fruit, affecting the final quality of the wine.
Factors such as climate, time, soil, temperature and light affect the quantity and quality of the grapes. Controlling the maturation process is vital to ensuring the grapes are harvested at exactly the right time. This is why maturation is monitored for months, conducted through sampling as a means of controlling the different analytical parameters of each winery.
Did you know that…?
• Grapes should be dry when picked.
• Picking grapes at night prevents them from fermenting, a process caused by high daytime temperatures.
• Moreover, the time between the grapes being picked and reaching the winery should be as short as possible.
Pressing and fermentation are the next steps, and our silicone barrel plugs only come into play in the process in which the wine is matured in casks, also known as botas or barrels. Take advantage of the coming months and submit your plug order, totally personalised with the year of the vintage and your winery´s logo.
Do you need a sample?
Nortap™ plugs are manufactured in organoleptically neutral 100% food-grade silicone, and comply with all BfR and FDA standard requirements. They do not transfer any odour or taste to the product undergoing the maturation process in a barrel. Contact our sales representative!
*Denomination of Origin (DO): wine should be prepared at a winery with grapes from the same region, feature special characteristics only obtained due to the geographic surroundings in which it has been produced, enjoy high levels of prestige and at least five years need to have elapsed since the wine was recognised as being a product from the said region. There are 68 DO regions in Spain.