Grape Harvest for 2024

It’s that time of year again. It’s the grape harvest in Minnesota! This past weekend, we helped with the grape picking at a Schram Vineyard in beautiful Waconia. We began early this year at 8 a.m. However, the experience couldn’t be better. It was ideal from a weather perspective.

We picked Marquette grapes. It is a French-American hybrid, with Pinot Noir as a part of its heritage. Minnesota has a would-be decent climate for grapes, except for that winter thing. Temperatures get well below the berries’ threshold, with the mercury sometimes dipping to -20 degrees F or lower. Grapes don’t like living in the ice bowl.

Gearing Up for the Grape Harvest

We were woefully unprepared the first time we participated in the grape harvest a few years earlier. Jeans aren’t practically after a heavy morning dew. Oh, and don’t forget gloves unless you want a visual memory of your experience. The second year, we had boots and gloves.

If you have an opportunity, I strongly urge you to participate in a grape harvest. It’s an excellent way to learn the backstory of your wine. You can see how well the berries fared during the growing season. You can taste them, which is a welcome perk to volunteering. Picking grapes gives you a sense of ownership of the wine. After all, you’re contributing to that year’s vintage.

The grape harvest isn’t strenuous work, but it’s not easy, either. You’re ready for a break when your allotted time is done. It’s a good kind of tired. However, it gives me more respect for those who do it for a living.

Doing the Grape Picking

We picked about seven bins of grapes. The harvest looked good, with a lot of low-hanging fruit and dense bunches. The weather cooperated, with the rain only coming down in a mist. It was an incredible scene walking up the hill with the fog hanging in the air. It’s a picture I’ll treasure in my mental photo album.

The three hours flew by. The vineyard was alive with the voices and laughter of the team of volunteers. It’s a meditative practice. The only other sounds were the fake bird calls to deter avian visitors. According to the workers, it does the job without the bother of the nets.

It was a good day. We enjoyed our provided lunch and glass of wine, with another one to be outside with the vines. We felt a kinship with them. They rewarded us with their fruit, and we enjoyed the grape harvest. We’ll also anxiously await the wine, with our contribution available for us in the bottle about two years from now.