With the stooping and crazy uneven ripening its like 10 times the work to harvest. I feel like Id have to do like 10 passes to get all the grapes at a consistent ripeness. Glad its close to home.
Serious question Berry, but do you want a consistent ripeness? I’ve read that some winemakers would harvest at different ripeness levels, which had the effect of increasing complexity. Obviously grapes should fall within a range, but 10 passes seems excessive, unless it’s hyperbole.
I do harvest at varying ripeness so I can get both good natural acids and phenolic ripeness plus I think the red and dark fruit mixed together does indeed create complexity. But that type of ripeness variation is just a few points spread in brix levels. At least with Zin (which is what I mostly have experience with) you can often get that ripeness variation on a single pick. Sometimes even in the same cluster. But over the last two years Ive worked with three head pruned vineyards and the ripeness variation is much higher than what Ive seen with conventionally farmed vines and many more passes is pretty much a necessity. It could be farming skill though.
In this age of drought and water issues, seeking out these type of vines makes sense. In my experience most old vine head trained. I es are also dry farmed.