Grape harvest is …!
Grape harvest is the process of collecting grapes from the vine. Greeks collect grapes for two basic reasons: selling them, if they are producers and producing wine, if they are wine growers. The harvest period starts in September and finishes in October. All the grape growers and wine makers work hard to collect the grapes and produce wine of high quality. Grape harvest prepares the ground for the next year growth of grapes.
Harvest ceremonies (Ancient Greece and modern times)
Harvest ceremonies in the past were very important for Ancient Greeks. The participants honored the God of wine, Dionysus, through rituals. They were involved in a procession from the temple of the God Dionysus to the temple of the Goddess Athena. The first gapes they collected were offered to the Gods.
Nowadays ceremonies of different style take place in vines. The process of making wine is a community one. Greeks work together. Family, relatives, neighbours, friends, all collaborate to complete the hard work. The labor is accompanied by some breaks for lunches with traditional songs. Furthermore, during picking the grapes, some Greeks like singing traditional songs.
It is worth mentioning that every year, on July 20th, vintners take bunches of their first harvest to any church of Prophitis Elias for a blessing by the priest. Furthermore, οn Augustthe 6th, similar ceremony takes place in churches. The prayers bring a busket of grapes to the church. The priest says a prayer to bless the inauguration of grapes collection.
The process of making wine – Some basic steps
During the grape harvest, people pick grapes and lay them into big baskets. Then, the grapes are left in the sun to dehydrate. The process that follows is the pressing. In the past, the Greeks pressed the grapes on their foot. The traditional foot-stomping process (πατητήρι) has nowadays been replaced by easier techniques. During the pressing and crushing, Greeks listened to traditional music. Fementation comes after the crushing. The juice of grapes, called must (μούστος), is placed in big jars. The jars are named amphorae, ἀμφορεύς in Ancient Greek) or pithoi, (πίθος in Ancient Greek). In many museums all around Greece, there are a lot all precious wine jars of past times. More steps folllow until the wine production.
Most times wine tasting begins: on October 26th , when St Dimitrios celebrates or on November 3rd, when St Georgios Methistis celebrate consequently. Methistis derives from the Greek word methisos, meaning drunk).
Good luck to all the wine producers of Greece!
Λεξιλόγιο – Vocabulary
1/ ο τρύγος = harvest production
2/ το σταφύλι = grape
3/ η κοινότητα = communitiy
4/ παράγω = to produce
5/ Άγιος = Saint
