Grape harvest in Puglia: behind the scenes of a day in the vineyards

The grape harvest is one of the most delicate stages of the winemaking process. In just a few weeks, the results of an entire year’s work are gathered and decisions are made that will shape the character of the wine.

In Puglia, the harvest period varies according to the grape variety, weather conditions and the desired result. At Masseria Borgo dei Trulli, harvesting generally takes place from early August until the end of September. Rather than a single event, it is a succession of carefully planned days, scheduled according to the ripening of each vineyard.

In the weeks leading up to the harvest, the grapes are regularly checked to assess their level of ripeness. Sugar levels, acidity, aromas, colour and skin texture all provide valuable information. Weather forecasts also play an important role, as a change in conditions may bring the start of the harvest forward or delay it.

The decision depends above all on the style of wine to be produced. Harvesting earlier helps preserve freshness and acidity, while waiting longer allows the grapes to develop greater concentration, structure and softness.

In Puglia, the harvest can extend over almost two months. The first grapes to be picked are generally those destined for fresher wines and base wines for sparkling wine production.

At Masseria Borgo dei Trulli, the Chardonnay used to produce our Spumante Metodo Classico Brut Organic is harvested by hand in early August. The other Chardonnay selections are picked between the middle and end of the month, while Sauvignon, Fiano, Malvasia and Vermentino are harvested between late August and early September.

Primitivo may follow different schedules depending on the vineyard and the style of wine being produced. Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera, meanwhile, may remain on the vine until the second half or even the end of September.

These dates are always approximate: the conditions of each growing season determine the exact timing.

A day of harvesting begins during the coolest hours. The bunches are cut, inspected and carefully placed in crates to prevent them from being crushed or damaged. An initial selection takes place directly on the vine, with any unsuitable grapes being discarded.

In vineyards trained using the traditional Puglian bush-vine system, the grapes must be harvested by hand. This traditional training method, with low-growing, unsupported vines, protects the bunches from intense sunlight and water stress. However, it requires working close to the ground, one vine at a time.

Speed and precision must go hand in hand: once picked, the grapes cannot remain exposed to the heat for long.

Not all bunches are picked as soon as they reach full ripeness. For certain wines, a late harvest is chosen, leaving the grapes on the vine for longer to develop greater concentration and complexity.

One particular technique is known as “peduncle twisting” (giro del picciolo). Special pliers are used to interrupt the flow of nutrients to the bunch, which then begins to dry naturally on the vine. As the grapes lose some of their water, their sugars, colour and aromas become more concentrated. This method is used for some of the grapes destined for Lucale Primitivo Puglia Appassimento.

Another method is appassimento, or grape drying process. The hand-picked grapes are arranged in small crates and left to dry in a temperature and humidity controlled room. For Saracena Primitivo Salento, this process lasts approximately ten days, during which the grapes lose up to 40% of their original weight, increasing the concentration of aromas and colour.

After harvesting, the crates are quickly transported to the winery. Here, the grapes are inspected once again before undergoing the processes required for each wine. For those working in the vineyard, the harvest marks the end of a cycle that began many months earlier. For the winery, however, it is the first day of a new vintage waiting to be discovered.

Masseria Borgo dei Trulli offers visitors the opportunity to experience this journey first-hand, from grape harvest to glass. The experience begins among the vines, where guests can observe the harvesters at work and taste grapes directly from the vine. It then continues in the winery, with a tour of the facilities and an introduction to the different stages of production.

It is an opportunity to discover everything that happens before the wine reaches the glass and to understand just how much work goes into every bottle.