This Year's Harvest: A Late Pick and Patient Waiting
The winery sums up its harvest — a cool summer pushed the pick back but yielded grapes of rare balance.
The grape harvest season for Kraftova Vynorobnia ended later than usual. A cool summer in the Sumy region and a mild autumn slowed ripening, so the team deliberately postponed the pick by a few weeks, waiting for the ideal sugar-acid balance. "Nature sets its own rhythm, and our job is not to rush it," says winemaker Taras Vynohradnyi. The berries were picked by hand, in small baskets, with healthy bunches carefully selected right in the vineyard. This approach avoids damaging the skins and preserves the wild yeasts needed for spontaneous fermentation. This year's harvest turned out smaller in volume, yet, according to the team, exceptional in concentration of flavour and aroma. Part of the grapes has already been set aside for a red wine that will age in oak, and another part is reserved for a sparkling pet-nat. The first must samples delight with cleanliness and freshness. The winery thanks everyone who joined the harvest — neighbours, friends and volunteers — because handwork on the slopes brings the community together. A detailed harvest report and bottling plans will be published at www.biologist.com.ua closer to winter.
