Mechanized Harvest
There are both advantages and disadvantages to a mechanized harvest. Costs are lower because fewer people have to be hired for the process.
Harvest also occurs quicker and the grower has more control over picking the grapes at their peak ripeness. However, vineyards have to be trained in a certain way with specific trellises to be effectively harvested by machine.
Vineyard rows must be sufficiently spaced in order for machines to fit. Additionally, harvest will occur much quicker and the grapes must be efficiently shipped to a winery that can handle this volume in a short period of time. There will also be more debris in the grapes because a machine does not have the discerning eye of a human.
The process of mechanical harvesting involves the machine moving down the vineyard rows and shaking the trunk of each vine. This causes the grapes to drop onto a conveyer belt attached to the machine. Unfortunately, unripe, overripe, mildewed and rotting grapes will inevitable be mixed with the quality grapes.
