At Château Cazebonne, our commitment to the terroir and excellence guides every one of our decisions. For the crafting of our grand vin and our most prestigious single-parcel cuvées, we favour the delicacy and precision of manual harvesting. This artisanal approach, carried out by experienced teams, allows for a bunch-by-bunch selection, thereby guaranteeing the aromatic purity and flavour richness of these exceptional wines, true expressions of our expertise.

However, modern viticulture, and more specifically our project to rehabilitate forgotten historic Bordeaux grape varieties, leads us to diversify our methods. For our entry-level cuvées, the harvesting machine proves to be an invaluable tool. It offers incomparable flexibility, allowing us to harvest our parcels at the optimal moment, ensuring perfect ripeness of the grapes. This efficiency helps us to control our production costs without ever compromising on the intrinsic quality of the fruit. Thanks to it, we can manage larger volumes with a responsiveness that optimises our entire production and allows us to offer accessible wines whilst respecting our ethos of doing things right.

A historical evolution in the service of the vineyard

The history of viticulture is punctuated with technical innovations, as so well illustrated by the book "Bordeaux, une histoire de cépages" by Jean-Baptiste Duquesne, published by Éditions BBD. From ancestral techniques to today's cutting-edge tools, every advancement has contributed to shaping the vineyard and the quality of Bordeaux wines. The harvesting machine is part of this lineage of evolutions, offering winegrowers solutions adapted to contemporary challenges, notably those linked to labour and climate imperatives. Its appearance and refinement marked a turning point, altering harvesting methods whilst preserving the integrity of the grape if used with discernment.

At Château Cazebonne, we are proud to lead a unique viticultural project: bringing the historical grape varieties of Bordeaux back to life, those ancestral varieties that marked the regional viticultural landscape before falling into oblivion. This work of revitalising our ampelographic heritage is demanding, yet fascinating. It is made possible thanks to the unwavering commitment and support of all the wine lovers who have "adopted" our cuvées and embrace our pioneering approach. Every bottle you choose is a direct contribution to this exceptional adventure.

Discover all our creations and actively support our mission by visiting the Cazebonne shop. To deepen your knowledge of the rich history of Bordeaux grape varieties and understand the roots of our commitment, we also invite you to receive the digital version of the book "Bordeaux, une histoire de cépages".

What is a harvesting machine?

The harvesting machine is a motorised agricultural vehicle designed to mechanically harvest grape bunches. Its operation relies on the principle of shaking or vibrating the vines to detach the berries, which are then collected by a system of conveyor belts and fans. It represents a major evolution in modern viticulture, allowing large areas to be harvested rapidly.

The impact of mechanical harvesting on grape quality

The main objective of the harvesting machine is to optimise the harvesting process. It allows parcels to be harvested at the optimal moment of ripeness, particularly for large volumes where time is a critical factor. For cuvées intended for early consumption, often fruitier and less complex, it guarantees a fast and homogenous harvest, essential for the consistency of aromatic profiles and the control of production costs. Efficiency is also a major asset, particularly in regions where skilled labour for manual harvesting is difficult to find.

When is the harvesting machine used?

The harvesting machine is primarily used during the harvest period, generally from late August to October in the Northern Hemisphere, depending on the regions and the ripeness of the different grape varieties. Its intervention takes place when the grapes have reached their full physiological and aromatic ripeness, a key moment determined by laboratory analyses and berry tastings. It allows for great responsiveness in the face of climatic hazards, such as approaching rain, by accelerating the harvest over large areas.

The stages of mechanised harvesting

• Field preparation: Before the machine passes, the parcels are prepared. The trellising must be adapted and the wires pulled taut to avoid damaging the machine and the vines.
• Shaking: The machine straddles the vine and shakers (vibrating rods or fingers) strike the vines. The berries detach from the rachis (the stalk) and fall onto collection belts.
• Collection and transport: The grapes are transported to integrated or towed storage bins, often equipped with basic sorting systems to remove leaves and other debris.
• Sorting (optional): Some machines integrate optical or vibrating sorting tables directly on board, in order to separate damaged berries or foreign bodies.

Harvesting machine equipment

A modern harvesting machine is a marvel of technology. It is generally composed of a self-propelled straddle chassis, harvesting heads equipped with shakers, conveyor systems (belts), fans to blow away impurities (leaves, vine shoots), and receiving bins. The most advanced models can include weighing systems, real-time harvest quality monitoring, or even dust extractors. The choice and maintenance of this equipment, an integral part of vineyard machinery, are crucial to guarantee the efficiency and quality of the harvest.

The harvesting machine and biodynamic viticulture: a compromise

In an approach such as biodynamics, which favours respect for life and the earth, the harvesting machine is sometimes viewed with caution. However, the evolution of techniques now allows the harvesting machine to be used more gently. The shakers are adjusted to delicately detach the bunches without damaging the vines or excessively altering the berries. In estates like Cazebonne, where biodiversity and soil health are paramount, the use of the machine is targeted at the grape varieties or parcels best suited to it, or for cuvées not requiring the berry-by-berry selection of manual harvesting. It is a compromise that allows us to combine cost control, flexibility, and the responsiveness necessary for modern and respectful viticulture.

The harvesting machine at Château Cazebonne

At Château Cazebonne, we use the harvesting machine with discernment. While our single-parcel cuvées and our Grand Vin benefit from a meticulous manual harvest, the harvesting machine is an indispensable asset for our entry-level cuvées, as well as for our parcels of forgotten grape varieties currently in their rehabilitation phase. It affords us great responsiveness to harvest the vines of these varieties at the most opportune moment, ensuring the quality of the raw material whilst controlling production costs. This approach gives us the flexibility to offer quality wines at accessible prices, whilst successfully carrying out our unique project to rediscover Bordeaux's ampelographic heritage.

This work to revitalise the Bordeaux vineyard, by replanting grape varieties that had disappeared, is made possible thanks to the unwavering commitment and support of all the wine lovers who have "adopted" our cuvées. It is accompanied by a comprehensive approach to vineyard health, including innovative methods such as mechanical weeding or vine pulling when it proves necessary. To deepen your knowledge of the richness of our viticultural history, do not hesitate to receive the digital version of our book "Bordeaux, une histoire de cépages" and test your knowledge with our oenological quizzes. Every bottle you choose on our online shop is a direct contribution to this exceptional adventure at Château Cazebonne.