PRESS RELEASE
“Grape Harvests Predictable”
(Portland, Oregon) Some French grape growers believe there are high energy flows at Full Moon, which they deem to be the best time to pick the fruit. In contrast, they propose that the lunar influence is lowest at New Moon, providing an opportune period to rack the juice, as the sediment is least perturbed and the fluid clearest.
In his book Biological Time, author Bernie Taylor demonstrates that grapes are lunar timed but not for the reasons previously believed. Taylor also forwards the proposition that since the moon is shifting the key events of the grape vine around, the fruit will have differing experiences between years, which ultimately determines the characteristics of the wine.
The author shows that both bud break and bloom of the grape vine are timed by predictable solar and lunar cycles of light and darkness, which can also be used to determine the date of harvest. “All plants and animals need to synchronize their important events to reliable cues,” says Taylor. “The grape vine uses triggers that only happen over a few nights per lunar cycle.” The author demonstrates his hypothesis in a statistical manner with Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Merlot grapes.
The concept of timing to light and darkness is not new. Botany texts often use an example of a plant synchronizing its bloom to when a dim light is turned on for a short period during the night. What Biological Time brings to the table is the translation of the laboratory research into the field. Under natural conditions, the same light goes on about a week following Full Moon. This experience occurs because the moon rises after dusk on each day succeeding the Full Moon. So the sky becomes dark after dusk and then illuminated again late in the night. This condition appears to synchronize the bloom.
Taylor’s finding explains why the timing of bloom and the harvest are closely correlated, but each fluctuates in a one-month window of time between years. We view them as early or late because the cycle of the moon is independent of the movement of the sun. The author uses the timing of Easter to demonstrate the phenomenon. This religious holiday is set on the first Sunday that succeeds the first Full Moon after the Vernal Equinox. In 2004 Easter was on April 11, whereas the dates for 2005 and 2006 will be March 27 and April 16, respectively. This apparent shift in time is because the 29.5-day lunar cycle does not divide equally into the 365-day solar year. “Since the events for the grape vine are similarly cued, the timing appears to move around from one year to the next,” says Taylor.
In Oregon where he did his research, earlier picking of the grapes is usually preferable to later so that the fruit is harvested before the fall rainy season. Rainfall just prior to the picking of the grapes is a sign of disaster, as the water can swell the fruit; this causes cracks, dilutes the flavor factors and allows openings for spoilage microorganisms. Some growers may pick a few days earlier than desired if a storm is approaching.
Grower and winemaker David Teppola of Laurel Ridge Winery in Carlton, Oregon, proposes that, “with this information, we can make pruning decisions before bud break and better manage our crop load. Less grapes on the vine can result in ripening of the fruit a few days earlier, which should improve the chances of having a good wine when the grapes are expected to be late.” In the past, growers didn’t know the harvest timing until bud break which is too late to do the necessary pruning.
Taylor suggests that the principles apply to other plants. He uses data from Walter Reed Army Hospital to demonstrate that the pollination of the sycamore tree occurs around the Full Moon. The reason he chose to work with grapes and sycamore trees was that there was reliable and available data. “There are probably many other applications for this hypothesis with other plants,” says the author. “We just need to take a second look at the existing data.”
Biological Time can be ordered at 1-800-431-1579, or purchased in major bookstores and at www.bookch.com. For more information on the subject see www.BiologicalTime.com.
Biological Time
209 pages
black and white illustrations
hardcover 7x10
$29.95
ISBN 0-9749932-0-4
Available from The Ea Press
For media review copies contact TheEaPress@Aol.com