The grape harvest usually begins in this region around the 3rd or 4th week in September. The majority of grapes are harvested mechanically.
Few wine-growers continue to practice hand harvesting. The machine harvester is now used by the large majority. Machine harvesters remove the fruit from the vine by either slapping it using paddles or by shaking the vine.
The grape is immediatly pressed and fermented. Adding sugar (chaptalisation) is forbidden.
The wine from these grapes reaches a very low alcohol level (7-9 degrees) while retaining high acidity. Wines of this sort are ideal for distillation.

















