Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/59998
GRAPE GRO WING Making the Switch What to know when pursuing mechanical winegrape harvesting By Andrew Adams Machine Harvesting At a Glance • New machines can cost $350,000, and a quality used machine can cost $100,000. • In some parts of California and New York, more than 90% of vineyards are machine harvested. • New machines can yield fruit with such little MOG that growers should be aware of possibly harvesting less by total weight. • Before contracting for a machine, schedule a site visit to review trellis types, row turn-around space and any hills that may limit machine access. • Be sure to check if your winery client can process machine-harvested fruit or has any concerns with machines. • Machines can harvest between 1 and 1.5 acres per hour. • Two to four people running a machine can replace a harvest crew of several dozen workers. • The per-acre rate for a machine will often beat the per-ton rate for hand harvesting. • Operators need time to calibrate machines for the particulars of each vineyard but can usually start within a few hours. 34 Wines & Vines MARCH 2012 Scarce labor and machines that can pick fruit fast and clean have growers in many premium ap- pellations rethinking machine harvesting, which can be performed anytime day or night. t's faster, it's cheaper, and propo- nents claim the quality has never been better. In fact, some say ma- chine-harvested grapes often arrive at the winery in better condition than hand-harvested fruit. But what does a grower need to know to make the switch? What are the costs and potential savings, and what preparation is neces- sary in the vineyard? I As machine harvesting grows more prevalent, Wines & Vines is talking to growers and other experts to gain a better understanding of what vineyard own- ers and winemakers should know if they want to use the method. Cheaper and faster Like everything in the vineyard, the cost of machine harvesting depends on a host of variables. Yet most sources we inter- viewed said machine harvesting costs about a third to half of what it costs to hire a crew to hand-pick grapes. John Ledbetter, a partner and CFO of Lodi, Calif.-based Vino Farms, said it generally costs about $40 to $50 per ton to harvest with a machine. To pick the same grapes with a hand crew, it would probably be closer to $100 per ton. Add to that the cost of the tractors and trucks still needed with a hand crew, and the cost is closer to $150 per ton. Vino Farms manages more than 13,000 acres in 10 California counties stretching from Sacramento County in the northern Central Valley to Santa Barbara County on the Central Coast. Most of the com- pany's acreage is machine harvested. Ledbetter said machines are faster and far more efficient. Two to four people operating machines can replace a crew of 60 to 70 laborers. "It's pretty easy to do the math on that," he said. View video in the Digital Edition. Staff with Walsh Vineyard Management shot this video to demonstrate a Pellenc harvester equipped with the com- pany's Selectiv' sorting technology. Wines & Vines