In the packing house we can sort, clean and cool a grape. We cannot make it better than it was when it was picked. That is why quality work starts in the vineyard, on our own land and in the vineyards of the growers who work with us.
1. The health of the vine
A healthy vine gives grapes that stand up to packing and to the journey. We keep an eye on the condition of the canopy and the bunches, so that problems show early and are dealt with in time.
2. Plant protection
Plant protection is prescribed by an agronomist and follows the principles of integrated pest management: prevention and monitoring first, and treatment only when it is needed. It is one of the main points audited under the GLOBALG.A.P. standard, together with food safety and traceability.
3. Water
Irrigation affects berry size, sugar content and how well the grapes keep. Responsible use of irrigation water is the subject of SPRING, the GLOBALG.A.P. add-on for water management on the farm.
4. Residues
Before harvest, samples from every grower are analysed for pesticide residues by an accredited laboratory. This checks, before the grapes are picked, that the EU maximum residue levels and the customer's specifications are met.
The analyses are carried out by Veltia Labs for Life in Thessaloniki, and they do not stop in the vineyard: every grower is tested separately, and an analysis per batch follows.
5. Ripeness
Grapes do not ripen after picking, so the day of harvest matters a great deal. The main indicator is the sugar content, measured in degrees Brix with a refractometer. Alongside sugar we look at the colour and size of the berry.
The EU marketing standard sets a minimum sugar content in the juice: 14 °Brix for seedless varieties, 13 °Brix for seeded varieties and 12 °Brix for Victoria. Picking starts once the variety meets its own minimum.
And the people
Quality also has a side that does not show in the bunch: the working conditions of the people in the vineyard. These are assessed under GRASP, the GLOBALG.A.P. add-on for social practices.
What this means for the buyer
When a batch arrives at the packing house, it is recorded with its grower and field. What was checked in the vineyard follows the grapes all the way to the pallet, and the checks continue in sorting, packing and cooling.
