With the start of the harvest, a new chapter opens in the estate’s life every year, as each vintage’s unique character is reflected in the wine. While the steps of harvesting, pressing, and winemaking seem to follow the same pattern year after year, the conditions provided by nature always bring new challenges and opportunities. Adapting to these is essential for a successful harvest. At the Disznókő Vineyard, we eagerly prepare for this extraordinary period every year. We spoke with László Mészáros, the estate manager, about how they prepare.

Preparation for the Harvest – Starting with Rest

The harvest is an intense 2.5-3 months of work, requiring great endurance, so it is essential to rest beforehand. Our preparation begins with a two-week vacation at the start of August, ensuring that our team is physically and mentally recharged for the upcoming months. Upon returning, we discuss the tasks and goals ahead, including what types of wine we want to produce and the methods we will use. This ensures that everyone knows their role when the first batch of grapes arrives from the estate.

Preparing the Cellar

Preparations in the cellar start months before the harvest to ensure that all equipment, barrels, and processing materials are ready when needed. Bottling the wines from the previous vintage, cleaning and disinfecting the barrels, and carefully checking and disinfecting the equipment, tanks, hoses, and presses used during the harvest all contribute to this process.

Timing the Harvest

The timing of the harvest is a crucial decision. The timing of grape picking can significantly affect the quality of the wine, with even a single day making a big difference. Determining the right moment requires patience, careful analysis, years of experience, and a touch of intuition. We continuously walk the estate, monitor the ripening of the grapes, take samples, and follow the ripening process through tasting. Grapes are not ripe when they are sweet, but when the pulp, seeds, and skin are all mature. Disznókő wines are all about balance, and this is the balance we seek in the grapes. Test harvests and subsequent laboratory tests also help us make the best decision.

2024 Vintage: An Early Start with Promising Prospects

This year, the harvest at Disznókő began earlier than ever, on August 23rd, with grapes picked for the base wine for sparkling wine and experimental batches, while the harvest for the base of dry Furmint started on August 27th on the western slopes of Dorgó. While it’s still too early to make predictions, the quality looks promising. We hope the weather will continue to be favorable, and we may even look forward to an excellent Aszú vintage.