The harvesting has been anticipated this year due to a warmer summer and other factors. Usually, this year the collection has been advanced around ten days. In other areas such as the DO Wines of Madrid, they have already finished their harvesting.
The time when the harvest is done is essential because the grapes must be in a unique or nearly perfect condition, in which there must be a balance between the percentage ratio of sugars and acids, as these should reach optimal levels for those for grapes destinates to eat.
If we are talking about grapes for wine production, depends on the weather conditions of the place, and that since there are several factors that influence in deciding when it is really the best time to harvest the crop.
Always depending on the area of production; grape types, since it is not the same grape white or black grapes (the first mature before the second one); and the type of wine: is completely different conditions that should have a grape for a common wine or a fine wine and the way it should be collected and development treatement, varying amounts of sugars, the acid substances, etc.
The harvest can be manual or mechanical. The manual is the kind of more complicated harvest as it is used to perform fine and sparkling wines of high quality, therefore, the collection is much more complex and must be performed with greater concern for choosing the best grapes. The mechanics are less expensive than the manual as the high costs of manual and fully qualified staff shortages have made it the most widely deployed for less refined wines.