Harvest is one of the most important times of year at Goose Beck Vineyard. After months of careful work among the vines, September and October bring the moment when the grapes are ready to be picked, and the next stage of winemaking can begin.
But harvest doesn’t simply start on a particular day. There is plenty of preparation behind the scenes to make sure the vineyard, winery and team are ready.
Watching the Vines
The build-up to harvest begins long before the first grapes are picked.
Throughout the growing season, we keep a close eye on the vines and grapes as they develop. Weather conditions, grape varieties and the progress of the fruit all help determine when the grapes are ready to harvest.
At Goose Beck Vineyard, we grow a range of grape varieties, so harvest isn’t necessarily a single event. Different varieties can reach the right stage at different times.
That means patience and careful observation are essential.
Getting the Vineyard Ready
As harvest approaches, attention turns to making sure everything is ready for picking.
Harvesting grapes is a hands-on process, with bunches carefully removed from the vines and collected for processing. Our team and volunteers play an important role during this period, helping bring the crop in from the vineyard.
The vineyard becomes a particularly active place during harvest season, with the focus shifting from growing the grapes to getting them safely into the winery.
Preparing the Winery
Harvest doesn’t finish when the grapes leave the vines.
Once picked, the grapes need to move through the winemaking process, so the winery needs to be ready to receive them.
Equipment, working areas and the processes involved in production all need to be prepared in advance. Good organisation is particularly important when fresh grapes are arriving from the vineyard and the winemaking process gets underway.
It’s a fascinating part of vineyard life because the work moves directly from the vines into the winery.
Harvest Is a Team Effort
Although Goose Beck Vineyard is a family-run vineyard and winery, harvest season brings an even wider group of people together.
We welcome local volunteers to help with grape picking during the harvest period, making it a real community effort.
There is something particularly satisfying about seeing people come together to collect grapes that have spent the entire growing season developing on the vines.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to take part, we welcome enquiries from people interested in volunteering during harvest.
From Grape to Wine
Harvest marks the beginning of a new chapter rather than the end of the growing season.
Once the grapes have been picked, they begin their journey through the winery. The work involved in producing wine continues long after the last bunch has been removed from the vines.
For visitors, this is one of the most interesting aspects of discovering a vineyard. You can see how growing grapes and making wine are closely connected, from the landscape outside to the processes taking place inside the winery.
Our vineyard tours and wine tasting experiences provide an opportunity to learn more about grape growing and winemaking at Goose Beck Vineyard.
Why Harvest Season Is Special
There is a different energy around the vineyard during harvest.
Months of work have led to this point, the countryside is changing with the season, and the grapes are finally ready to become the foundation of the next vintage.
For a working vineyard, harvest is both a busy period and a rewarding one. It brings together growing, harvesting, winemaking and community, all in one season.
Experience the Vineyard for Yourself
One of the best ways to understand what happens at Goose Beck Vineyard is to see it for yourself.
Our guided vineyard tours take visitors among the vines before continuing into the winery, where you can learn more about the wine production process and taste some of the wines we make.
If you’re visiting Yorkshire and would like to experience a working vineyard, discover Goose Beck Vineyard and find out more about what happens throughout the year.
From the first buds of spring to harvest in autumn, there’s always something happening among the vines.