Harvesting Friends at Marked Tree

Kate Thayer harvesting grapes

On the first day of autumn, a bright sun bathes the rows of grapevines at Marked Tree Vineyard. Amidst the green vines and bountiful clusters of purple grapes, Kate Thayer, a Flat Rock resident and volunteer harvester, sits on an upturned bucket surrounded by berries ancient Greeks considered the fruit of the gods. With quiet precision, she gently snips another cluster of Petit Verdot grapes free from its vine and carefully places them in a nearby tray. 

Perhaps within a couple of years, Kate will be enjoying a glass of wine at Marked Tree made with the very grapes she helped harvest. She looks forward to that day. “Being part of the harvest helps me appreciate the process of creating wine,” she explains. Then she adds with a smile, “It makes the wine taste even better.”

Kate and several other volunteers showed up at Marked Tree on a Sunday afternoon to help Marked Tree owners, Lance Hiatt and Tim Parks, collect the grapes from a section of the vineyard that has reached the perfect time for harvest. Working side by side with Marked Tree’s paid vineyard staff, the volunteers are participating in a centuries-old tradition  - and building a unique community bound together by grapevines in the process.

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Petit Verdot grapes ready to be picked

Marked Tree Vineyard, nestled on a beautiful hillside near Flat Rock with expansive views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a magical place where the love for winemaking merges with the beauty of nature. From August to October each year, the vineyard comes alive with the annual grape harvest, made possible in part by a dedicated group of volunteers.

Supervising the day's harvest is Jason Fernandez, the Estate Manager at Marked Tree. Because the grapes must be collected when the sugar levels are at an optimal level, harvesting needs to be completed at just the right time and completed before time and weather have a chance to change the perfect balance necessary to make truly excellent wine. This week, the Marked Tree team tested the sugar levels of the Petit Verdot block of the vineyard and called in their harvesting team to work late afternoons on Saturday and Sunday. "With a strong volunteer turnout this season,” Jason explains,  “we're looking at completing this particular block in about 12 hours over the course of two days." 

Jason Fernandez dumps a tray of grapes into a larger bin

Volunteers are recruited through word of mouth and the Marked Tree newsletter. Kate, for example, started out as a happy patron in the tasting room. When she learned three years ago she could be part of the harvest, she eagerly signed on for the job. Although the paid workers will spend the full five to six hours each day during harvest, Marked Tree welcomes volunteers who wish to work for any part of that time. In Kate’s case, she’s onboard for the full shift - and happily so.

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Marked Tree Vineyard has approximately 12 of its 60 acres planted with vines of several types. Varietals in the vineyard include Cabernet Franc, Lemberger, Petit Verdot, Grüner Veltliner, and Muscat Ottenel. They also grow two hybrid grapes - Chardonel and the Vidal Blanc. The vineyard is laid out in blocs by varietal and each block ranges in size from 1/2 acre to 1 1/4 acres.

Depending on the varietal, harvest can begin as soon as August and generally finishes in October. The harvest of Marked Tree’s Petit Verdot is occurring in the final weeks of harvest for 2023.

The Process

The grape harvest at Marked Tree Vineyard begins with measuring the sugar content of the grapes to determine the ideal time for picking. Sugar content is measured in “Degrees Brix” and Lance explains that for the Petite Verdot they were looking for a sugar content over 21 Brix.  A measurement of 21 Brix means the grape is approximately 21% sugar. 

Saturday’s measurement registered at 21.8 and the Marked Tree team sprang into action.

Harvesting is typically done one grape varietal at a time. On this particular Sunday, it's the Petit Verdot and Jason estimates that the team will pick between 2.5 to 3 tons of grapes during the Sunday afternoon. Throughout the season, the total harvest at Market Tree can reach an impressive 50 to 60 tons of grapes across all varietals.

For each ton of grapes, Marked Tree yields approximately 160 gallons of juice which, in turn, translates into five bottles of wine per gallon. For the season, Marked Tree is able to harvest enough grapes to make in excess of 3000 cases of wine to be served in future years.

Harvested grapes are immediately placed in Marked Tree's refrigerated storage and then shipped to winemakers for crushing, destemming, fermentation and bottling. Cases of wine are returned to Marked Tree and typically after 18 to 24 months, those bottles of wine find themselves being served to the delighted patrons in the Marked Tree tasting room.

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Lance during harvest

One of the most captivating aspects of volunteering at Marked Tree Vineyard is the chance for friends and patrons of Marked Tree to become intimately engaged with the winemaking process.

Lance believes that involving volunteers in harvesting allows them to grasp the vineyard's journey from the vine to the bottle This deeper connection with Marked Tree encourages volunteers to share their experiences with friends and family, thereby expanding the Marked Tree community.

“Harvesting is an informal time where you can sit in the vines and converse with people. We really get to know our volunteers from the community.” 

Lance adds. "It's a kind of validation of our work. I know that may sound odd, but it's true. You realize we are doing something people are genuinely interested in and want to be part of.”

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The Volunteers

Delores Nunn

Delores Nunn, a retired Henderson County resident, has been volunteering at Marked Tree for three years now. "We visited and they mentioned they needed volunteers for harvesting. I thought it sounded like a lot of fun. So here I am, in my third year." Delores embodies the spirit of community and the love for the outdoors that draws volunteers to this vineyard.

When asked what she enjoys about volunteering, Delores has a ready answer.  "I can say, 'I helped plant those grapes over there and I even participated in harvesting.' I've been a part of it all.”

Leslie Kerner

On this day, Leslie Kerner and her family have driven over from their home in Chapel Hill to help with the grape harvest.  Lance and Leslie were classmates at the Tulane School of Architecture. She likens Lance to Tom Sawyer in his ability to convince people that it will be fun to help with the work. “Lance used to have painting parties at his home when we were in school,” she says with a laugh. She adds that the real reason people are willing to help is the connection Lance and Tim have made with their customers and local residents. “They are generous and passionate individuals. People are drawn to help them.”

Juana (left) and other members of the harvesting team

Juana is part of the team of paid workers harvesting alongside the volunteers. She is a student at East Henderson High School and she is working with her mother, her grandmother, several uncles, extended family and friends. Although picking grapes would not seem to be something a teenager would enjoy, Juana enjoys the work and the time with family and friends. "For me," she shares, "it's a weekend distraction, a chance to gather with family and friends and enjoy the outdoors.”

Tim embraces the idea of allowing volunteers to assist with the harvest. “Time in the vineyard allows us to forge deeper connections with our customers.”  He also notes that volunteers are valuable because they become ambassadors, sharing their experiences with friends and acquaintances, thereby expanding the Marked Tree Vineyard community.

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The Magic of the Harvest

Late in the afternoon, the sun sits low in the sky and the last of the Petite Verdot grapes have been harvested, placed in large bins, and carried back to storage by Jason in the Marked Tree tractor. But the day is not over for the harvesters. Volunteers make their way back to the tasting room for snacks, wine, and conversations with friends both old and new. They reach their wine glasses across the table to toast another successful day among the vines. It is a serene and gracious end to another successful day of harvesting.

Ultimately, the harvest at Marked Trees is much more than picking grapes; it's about connections, experiences, and creating lasting memories in the vineyard. It is a celebration of community, nature, and winemaking. Throughout it all, volunteers play a vital role in bringing the vineyard's vision to life and help ensure the creation of exceptional wines to be enjoyed in the years ahead.

Lance shares a final toast with the volunteers and sums up the day. “The harvest is a celebration. It is the culmination of a season's hard work and the beginning of something wonderful.”

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Anyone interested in learning more about volunteering at Marked Tree should reach out to Jason Fernandez at jason@markedtreevinyard.com.

Read more about Tim and Lance and the creation of Marked Tree Vineyard at The Marked Tree Dream.

Visit the Marked Tree website at markedtreevineyard.com