High TA in Marquette, Ready for Harvest?

[kartracer088]

I think it may be time to harvest the Marquette, but I have been waiting for the TA to drop, but it hasn't changed much in a couple weeks.

8/30/22
Brix 22, pH 3.15, TA 13.5g/L

9/10/22
Brix 24, pH 3.27, TA 14.0g/L

Should I wait for the TA to drop, or just go ahead and pick? Some grapes are pretty loose on the bunches. What do you all think?

 

[wood1954]

I would pick with those numbers. During fermentation the ph should rise and the TA come down. I’m picking next weekend, should have similar numbers as yours. MLF really helps Marquette, i use VP41.

 

[kartracer088]

Thanks for the feedback, picked the grapes today.

After Crush and destem:
brix = 23, SG 1.096, pH=3.21, TA= 8.6 g/100ml

Amazing how much things change after picking and crushing. Seems like good numbers to me for Marquette.

 

[kartracer088]

Planning on using Lavlin 71B to start tomorrow. Then CH16 malolactic bacteria when primary is completed.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Your picking target is a balance, more time is better until yield decreases. ,,, example I have Frontenac gris that was showing wasp and beetle damage mid week so it should have been picked. BUT the local winery needs help so I have spent days picking there, hopefully it gets done tonight. ,,, or I still have one Edelweiss plant that gets mixed into Briana. This weekend Briana was picked but when I checked the Edelweiss all the fruit had already fallen off the plant (shattering trait).

I am a bit old fashioned since I taste the winery grapes and taste mine and look for similar sweetness, I won’t have numbers till they get crushed. Likewise watching yellow jacket activity is a good indicator.

 

[BigH]

Should I wait for the TA to drop, or just go ahead and pick? Some grapes are pretty loose on the bunches. What do you all think?

I let my Marquette hang and eventually harvested ahead of some predicted rain before the TA really moved like I wanted it to. As I harvested, I noticed some soft berries, stem necrosis, and shelling (which I haven't seen in this variety). I didn't lose much, but I don't think the grapes would have weathered another half week very well. My pH and TA numbers were similar to your initial numbers, but sugar was around 26 brix.

The lesson for me is to improve my late season scouting. The clusters always look so pretty while walking by, but close inspection would have revealed the growing problem.

H

 

[wood1954]

After three days and four inches of rain my Marquette is showing some berry splitting and I saw the first of many honey bees I was hoping to harvest before the bees found my grapes. I’ve reserved the crusher for four days from now. Otherwise everything looks good

 

[VinesnBines]

I let my Marquette hang and eventually harvested ahead of some predicted rain before the TA really moved like I wanted it to. As I harvested, I noticed some soft berries, stem necrosis, and shelling (which I haven't seen in this variety). I didn't lose much, but I don't think the grapes would have weathered another half week very well. My pH and TA numbers were similar to your initial numbers, but sugar was around 26 brix.

The lesson for me is to improve my late season scouting. The clusters always look so pretty while walking by, but close inspection would have revealed the growing problem.

H

I had to let mine hang two weeks too long due to health issues. I had a lot of raisins, shriveled berries and split. I had no choice but the moral is Marquette can't hang long after peak.

 

[Cynewulf]

I had to let mine hang two weeks too long due to health issues. I had a lot of raisins, shriveled berries and split. I had no choice but the moral is Marquette can't hang long after peak.

That’s too bad. When did you end up harvesting and how did your other varieties go?

 

[VinesnBines]

I got the Marquette harvested last Friday and I also harvested Leon Millot the same day. I should have harvested by the end of August at 23 Brix.

I'm going to get a few more of the smaller quantities harvested this week. I'm going to test the rest today and see where we are.

I thought it interesting that everyone places Marquette as a mid season harvest but for me it was the earliest. I think it will turn out nice but good to know how long it can or cannot hang. This was the first crop off these vines so I'm not too disappointed.