Last Saturday I had the opportunity to experience grape wine harvesting. Daniel’s mom makes wine every year and I was super eager to help.
Years ago, my grandfather made wine and olive oil, it was their livelihood. He died when I was too small to care about learning how to make wine and olive oil. I loved this day, not only because it was such a fun way to pass a Saturday but also because I felt closer to him.
We started by harvesting the wine grapes, taking grape bunches full of juicy grapes, perfectly shaped like pearls. We occasionally stopped to admire how beautiful the grape bunch that we just took from the vine. It’s a shame that I didn’t take more photos but honestly if I did I’d probably have helped less ahahah.
Around 2 o’clock, we stopped for lunch, almost all the grapes in the huge vessel. It was so full, I was lucky to see that as well, not every year is so fruitful.
After lunch, with our stomach comforted and our energy restored, me and Daniel’s mom went to stomp the grapes while Daniel and his uncle picked up the rest of the grapes that were more out of reach. Once they were done, they stood by our side while we’re stomping, we were always chatting so it didn’t feel like much even though we ended up being there for about two hours. Here’s the final result:
The white grapes were tougher and it became difficult to crush them with our feet so we’d pick them up and crush them with our hands. The next day, Daniel’s uncle spent a little bit more time stomping them in the morning.
And now that it has been one week, Daniel’s mom put everything in another vessel ready for the second fermentation. Nature is really amazing but we need to be patient, you do learn how to be patient when you’re in the countryside. Everything has its process, everything has its time. If we’re patient, we’re rewarded.
I’m not much a wine drinker, however I do occasionally drink this homemade wine. Next year, I’ll be able to taste a wine that I helped make, produced from bunches that I took from vines, grapes crushed with my own feet. I can’t wait! Unfortunately my grandfather won’t be here to taste it with me but he’ll be in my mind when I taste it.
Have you ever gone grape harvesting? How was it?
