Best Fruit

We hand pick our Sidewood grapes to ensure only the best quality of fruit is used in the selection.

Optimum Ripeness

Hand picking allows us to select individual grape bunches at optimum ripeness.

No Mildew

Bunches that show evidence of mildew or rot will also not be picked.

No Berry Split

A further significant advantage is that hand picking virtually eliminates berry split that occurs as a result of many types of machine picking.

Berry split results in contact of the juice with grape skins leading to coloration of the wine.  Undesirable in certain varietals of white wine.

Berry split also leads to higher levels of oxidation resulting in a loss of fruit flavors and aromas, yellowing of the wine, and may also require the addition of Sulphur Dioxide at the winery to slow pre mature fermentation.

High Quality Wine

While the cost of hand picking may be up to six times that of machine picking the end result is a cleaner, better quality wine with generally lower levels of Sulphides.