What Happens During Harvest in Southern New Mexico?
If you’ve ever wondered what happens during grape harvest, September is the perfect time to visit Southern New Mexico wine country and see the process beginning to unfold.
Harvest is one of the most important and exciting times of year for wineries in the Mesilla Valley AVA. After months of tending vines, monitoring fruit
development, and watching the weather, grape growers and winemakers begin making the decisions that will shape the next vintage.
But what exactly happens between a bunch of grapes hanging on a vine and the bottle of wine you eventually enjoy?
Let’s take a look at grape harvest in the Mesilla Valley, from the vineyard to the winery.
What Is Grape Harvest?
Grape harvest is the process of picking ripe grapes from the vineyard and bringing them to the winery for winemaking.
Unlike many agricultural crops, wine grapes aren’t necessarily harvested when they look their biggest or sweetest. Winemakers are looking for a particular balance of characteristics, including sugar, acidity, flavor, and physiological ripeness.
And harvest doesn’t happen on one single day.
Different grape varieties ripen at different times, and individual vineyards can have their own harvest schedules. Weather, vineyard elevation, grape variety, growing conditions, and the winemaker’s desired wine style can all influence when grapes are picked.
Some winegrowers hand pick their grapes while others machine pick.
That’s one reason harvest season in the Mesilla Valley can stretch across several weeks.
When Is Grape Harvest in Southern New Mexico?
Grape harvest in Southern New Mexico typically begins in late summer and continues into the fall, although the exact timing varies from year to year and from vineyard to vineyard.
The Mesilla Valley’s warm, dry climate means grape growers can begin harvesting relatively early compared with many other wine regions.
Early-ripening varieties may be ready first, while other grapes remain on the vine longer to develop additional flavor and balance.
Weather plays an important role, too. A stretch of hot weather can accelerate ripening, while cooler conditions may slow it down. Rain and other weather events can also influence harvest decisions.
For visitors, this means September and early fall can be an especially fascinating time to explore Mesilla Valley wine country.
You may see harvest activity taking place in the vineyards while winemakers and cellar teams are busy processing the year’s crop.
How Do Winemakers Know When Grapes Are Ready?
Winemakers don’t rely on just one measurement. They may evaluate grapes for:
- “Bricks” or sugar levels, which influence potential alcohol
- Acidity, which contributes freshness and structure
- pH
- Flavor development
- Color and tannin development, particularly for red grapes
- Seed and skin maturity
- Overall condition and health of the fruit
The desired wine style also matters. A winemaker producing a crisp, refreshing white wine may have a different harvest target than someone producing a rich, full-bodied red.
In other words, the “perfect” time to harvest depends on the grape and the wine the winemaker wants to make.
What Happens When the Grapes Are Picked?
Once a vineyard reaches harvest, things can move quickly.
Grapes may be harvested by hand or mechanically, depending on the vineyard and winery. Hand harvesting allows workers to selectively pick bunches and can be especially useful for certain wines or vineyard conditions. Others use machines to pick the grapes which prevents grapes from being left on the vine.
After picking, the grapes need to get to the winery. Winemaking begins with the condition of the fruit. Grapes that arrive at the winery in good condition give the winemaker the best possible raw material to work with.
This is one reason harvest can be such a busy time for winery teams.
While visitors may see people picking grapes in the vineyard, there is often an entire team working behind the scenes to process the fruit.
From Vineyard to Winery: What Happens Next?
Sorting
Grapes are inspected and sorted to remove unwanted fruit, leaves, stems, or other material with the goal of ensuring the best possible fruit moves into the winemaking process.
Crushing and Destemming
Depending on the wine style, grapes may be crushed and/or destemmed.
For many red wines, the grapes are fermented with their skins. This allows color, tannins, and flavor compounds from the skins to become part of the wine.
Pressing
Grapes for white wine are often pressed to separate the juice from the skins and solids. Grapes for reds are pressed and processed with their skinds and solids.
Fermentation
Fermentation is the stage when added yeast converts grape sugars into alcohol and produces many of the compounds that contribute to wine’s aroma and flavor. Temperature and fermentation management can be carefully controlled by the winemaker.
For visitors, this is one of the reasons a winery can smell so different during harvest. Fresh grape juice and active fermentation create aromas that are unmistakably associated with harvest season.
Aging and Maturation
After fermentation, the wine may be aged in stainless steel tanks, barrels, or other vessels depending on the style.
Some wines are ready relatively quickly, while others may spend months or even years developing.
Why Is New Mexico Good for Growing Wine Grapes?
The Mesilla Valley AVA is part of the larger New Mexico wine region and has environmental characteristics that make it an interesting place for grape growing.
The region’s high-desert climate, abundant sunshine, low humidity, and significant temperature differences between day and night can create favorable conditions for wine grapes.
The area also has a long agricultural history benefiting from the Rio Grande and established irrigation systems.
But growing grapes in the desert isn’t without challenges. Heat, water availability, wind, frost, and other environmental factors all require careful vineyard management.
That’s part of what makes Southern New Mexico wine so interesting: the wines are shaped by a growing environment that is distinctly different from many better-known wine regions.
Experience Harvest Season With Mesilla Valley Wine & Brew Tours
Harvest is a great excuse to get out and explore your own backyard.
A wine tour lets you experience Southern New Mexico wine country while learning more about the vineyards, wineries, and people behind the wines.
Our Weekend Wine Shuttle provides an easy way to spend an afternoon visiting local wineries, while private tours are available for groups celebrating birthdays, reunions, girls’ weekends, corporate outings, and other special occasions.
And because we’re handling the driving, your group can focus on what matters most: good wine, good company, and enjoying the Mesilla Valley.
Ready to Experience Harvest?
The next time you raise a glass of New Mexico wine, remember that the story started months earlier in a vineyard.
Come see it for yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions About New Mexico Harvest Season
When does grape harvest start in New Mexico?
Grape harvest in New Mexico generally begins in late summer and continues into fall. Exact timing varies depending on grape variety, vineyard conditions, weather, and the winemaker’s goals.
What happens during grape harvest?
During grape harvest, ripe grapes are picked from the vines and transported to the winery. The fruit is then sorted and processed before fermentation and subsequent stages of winemaking.
Why is New Mexico good for wine grapes?
New Mexico’s high-desert environments provide abundant sunshine, low humidity, and significant day-to-night temperature variation. These conditions, combined with irrigation and careful vineyard management, can support wine grape production.
Can you visit wineries during harvest season?
Yes. Fall is an excellent time to visit Southern New Mexico wineries, although the amount of visible harvest activity varies by winery and date. A guided wine tour can be a convenient way to experience several local tasting rooms during the season.
What is the Mesilla Valley AVA?
The Mesilla Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a federally recognized grape-growing region in Southern New Mexico and West Texas. The AVA designation identifies a geographic area with distinguishing characteristics relevant to wine grape production.
Is September a good time for a Mesilla Valley wine tour?
September can be an especially interesting time for a Mesilla Valley wine tour because it coincides with harvest season for some grape varieties. It’s also a great time to experience the vineyards and wineries as they transition into fall.
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