Stems and leaves that go into fermentation tanks adversely affect the flavour of red wines, which is one of the reasons hand-picking has generally been preferred.
Now, a new multipurpose over-row harvester by French company Pellenc is impressing contractors, importers and viticulturalists with the cleanness of its pick.
The prototype machine has not been used in New Zealand before this season and has yet to be used commercially overseas, although 160 harvesters destined for northern hemisphere vineyards are now on order from the manufacturer.
The machine is being demonstrated throughout New Zealand by the importer, Hydralada Company, Hastings, and was brought to Central Otago this week by Hydralada's product support technician, Richard Thomson.
Geoff Moore, of Cromwell contracting company Vinetech, said he would be investing $370,000 in a similar harvester, describing it as ‘‘the cleverest machine out'' and capable of opening new frontiers in the viticulture industry.
Although more than 90% of Marlborough vineyards are machine harvested, harvest tractors are a rare sight in lower South Island vineyards.
There is just one vineyard harvester operating out of Ettrick.
Hawkridge Estate, at Mt Barker, and Otago Crown Vineyards, at Locharburn, used Vinetech and the Pellenc harvester to pick selected areas this week and Mr Moore was delighted with the result.
‘‘It is wonderful. I've got one that arrives with a barrel pruner in May and then my harvest head will be arriving here in March next year. I am excited because it's been three or four years in development.
‘‘Hydralada has been keeping me informed and I knew in November one was possibly coming,'' Mr Moore said.
Mr Moore has worked in the viticulture industry for many years and began operating Vinetech in 2006.
He is no longer a ‘‘one-man band'' and has four staff involved in anything from canopy spraying, weeding and mowing, to vineyard maintenance. This is the first time he has gone into machine harvesting.
Akarua Vineyard viticulturalist Gillian Wilson said this week she was impressed with the quality of the samples from the bins filled by the harvester at Hawkridge Estate.
Mr Thomson said the harvesting technology was similar to that of machines used in New Zealand or overseas but the Pellenc tractor differed because it had an innovative cleaning system on top that removed the need to de-stem the grapes after harvest.
‘‘As a result of the cleanliness of the job, the winemakers don't have to do so much work in the winery . . . With labour shortages and labour costs, it's what they need, really,'' Mr Thomson said.
Bunches of grapes collected by the harvester are cleaned by fans then go through a mini shaker up to a sorting table which spits out the stems and leaves before dropping the grapes into bins.
The Pellenc harvester can also be used for pruning in late autumn and winter and leaf removal in the summer.
