With all of the winemakers at Bonnievale Wines well into the harvest period, we took a moment to speak to Jean Slabber, one of our winemakers. He answered a few questions and shared some insight about what is currently happening behind the scenes at the cellar.
What is your very first memory of a harvest at Bonnievale Wines?
Approximately 5 and a half years ago, I was thrown in in the deep side and I had to manage one of our cellars and then did my first harvest in 2018. Late nights and early mornings!
What's the first thing you do when you arrive at the cellar?
I check that the cooling machines are running. Without proper cooling, you can’t make quality wines.
What makes the harvest challenging?
Temporary staff and breakdowns in the cellar.
How do you know when to start harvesting?
Producers bring grape samples to the cellar, and then we analyse them for sugar, pH, and titratable acidity. Together with this, our viticulturist also visits the particular vineyard block to make sure that we harvest on the optimal date.
Do you harvest at nighttime? Why?
Sometimes early morning. At this time, the flavour intensity is better and grapes come in at cooler temperatures, so the juice won't oxidize that easily. This is only a small percentage of our daily intake.
How long is the harvest period at Bonnievale Wines usually?
Three months.
How do you check the quality of the grapes as they arrive at the cellar?
We do an analysis of the juice at the scale when the grapes arrive at the cellar and a physical inspection of the tractors or trucks before they get offloaded.
What happens to the grapes when they are offloaded at the cellar?
The grapes get separated from the stalks through a de-stalker and then they go through a crusher. After this, they go into a separator so that the free-run juice gets separated from the pressed juice. Fermentation will then take place, and after approximately 12-14 days for whites and 7-8 days for reds, the fermentation will be completed. And then you have wine.
What's the last thing you do before you leave the cellar?
Once again, I check that the cooling machines are running. I also check in with the night shift staff to make sure that they know exactly what to do while I'm gone,