Sorting the Grapes on a Double Sorting Table

Not all winemakers sort grapes brought to the winery from the vineyards. Of those that do sort grapes, some wineries will use a single sorting table while others may use a double sorting table. One of the reasons that many wineries do not use sorting tables is the added costs to make a bottle of wine. There is a cost of equipment and then the labor involved.

Vint Hill Craft Winery uses a double sorting table. People along the first sorting table remove large materials other than grapes (MOG) as well as fruit that may be moldy. Generally the fuit is then sent to a destemmer wher most of the berries come off the stems. The the fuits goes to a second sorting table where jacks, stems that made it past the destemmer, small leaves and green berries are removed.

The use of sorting tables significantly reduces the green material (jacks and stems) that may be in the fermentation bins. These green materials produce harsher tannins. The video shows the sorting of Merlot and Cabernet Franc at Vint Hill Craft Winery.