Behind Every Glass: A Winemaker’s Day During Harvest Season
VinoVoss Editor's words: The allure of wine often conjures images of sun-soaked vineyards and leisurely sipping, a lifestyle of elegance and indulgence.
But behind every glass is the untold story of grueling work, especially during harvest season. VinoVoss Wine Expert Evmorfia Kostaki, winemaker and co-founder of Kostaki Winery in Samos, Greece, takes us beyond the romantic notion of wine to the heart of the harvest, where early mornings, aching backs, and relentless heat are part of the process.
As the person behind the bottle, Evmorfia offers an insider's perspective on how grapes make their arduous journey from vine to glass, revealing the true toil and passion behind each bottle. For those curious about how their favorite wine comes to life, this is a story of hard work, resilience, and the undeniable connection between the land and the final pour.
It's 4:50 am and the alarm rings. You slept just 5 hours the night before, but you must not snooze. You gather all your mental strength to get up. Your whole body is sore and your back is killing you. You eat a quick breakfast and put on your vineyard clothes. They're dirty and sticky from yesterday - no time to load up the washing machine. They'll do for another day.
You go to the car and drive to the vineyard. The team arrives just as the first morning light breaks. As a miracle, nobody's late, you can start picking immediately. You have only a few hours before the hot Greek summer sun becomes unbearable and you have to stop.
You do a few stretches and begin. Harvesting the bush vines is hard work. You have to look for the grapes, and work your way around each plant, without forgetting to collect bunches - at least not too many… In the morning everyone's silent, still sleepy. After a couple of hours of repetitive work, it's time for the coffee break.
The crates are lined up outside the vineyard waiting to be transported to the winery. You're making good progress. You make the coffee - Frappe, the true Greek farmer coffee. It tastes terrible but keeps you awake. The team is more active now. Jokes pass around, and the vineyard is filled with laughter.
Soon, it's time to start harvesting again. A few grunts are heard as everyone stands up. Harvest is much faster in the morning, with the cooler temperature and the shade, so you try to push the team now. The goal is to finish the plot today, so they can be processed right after at the winery.
The way back to where you left off feels much closer than it did before. You look for the end of the plot and realize how much more is left. You've still got energy but a feeling of dread arrives. As a leader, you have to stay strong. Slacking behind will only make the whole team slower, and you can't afford that. It will only mean you all have to harvest for longer. So you keep pushing.
A couple more hours pass. Once you start working again it's quite fast. By now, the dreaded sun has made its appearance. Your long-sleeved shirt and wide-brim hat are doing their best to protect you, but the intense rays make everything harder. Just a couple more hours left to finish the plot.
You stop for a moment and look around. Everyone is quiet once again. This time it's because no one has energy left to spare. Moving up and down from vine to vine takes its tall even to the hardest workers. Faces are red and sweaty. Every now and then someone tries to lift everyone's spirit but rarely succeeds.
At last, you reach the final row. Across the small creek, you meet the vines you harvested yesterday. Another challenge that's in the past. Smiles light up everyone's faces, as they get to relax at home. Yet for you, the harvest continues at the winery. And then again tomorrow…
Evmorfia Kostaki
