The reason that beginning the harvest on the correct day is so important is because with each day that the grape remains on the vine, the levels of acidity and sugar ripeness increase. The amount of natural sugar found in the grape determines the final alcohol level and Cognac production requires low sugar content (for low alcohol levels) and high acidity grapes. You can imagine then, that this is quite a high-pressure situation for the winegrowers, as they taste the grapes each day leading up to harvesting season, waiting for the perfect balance of sugar and acidity. Harvest the grapes too soon, or too late, and the farmer’s whole year leading up to this has been jeopardized. Making this vital decision requires a seasoned professional who possesses both skill, intuition, and an acute palate.

Once harvesting begins it is all hands on deck, every person involved must operate at peak performance and for three weeks, dawn to sunset, there is a constant stream of grapes going from the vineyards to the winepress. Historically all vineyards were harvested by hand, however as the Cognac market has grown, and technology has improved, the vast majority of producers have transitioned to using mechanized harvesting. Mechanized harvesting is without a doubt a faster, more efficient, and cost-effective approach, however it can also result in more damage being done to the vines and the grapes due to the physical trauma of dragging the grapes off their stems. There are still a small number of Cognac producers who have endeavored to keep the method of harvesting by hand alive due to both a sense of tradition and to protect the grapes; although there are questions as to how much longer this will be feasible for.

Harvesting grapes by hand is a much gentler approach and the majority agree that it produces a smoother and superior Cognac. However, hand harvesting is a time-consuming process and one that requires the help of many pickers, something that producers are increasingly struggling to find. When Cognac Expert spoke to the remaining hand-harvesting producers, each of them expressed that they were considering switching over to mechanical harvesting, a tragic shame but a possible necessity.