Second Crop
Definition - What does Second Crop mean?
During the grape growing process of winemaking, there are two crop designations. The main crop is when the ripe grapes are harvested. Sometimes, the main crop is followed by a secondary crop where the vine produces another set of ripening grapes after the first set is harvested. The time between the first and second crop vary, with the delay in development ranging between 2-4 weeks. The secondary crop will not yield as many grapes as the first crop and may have an altered taste.
WineFrog explains Second Crop
Dependent on the vine and type of grape being harvested, some vineyards will produce and/or harvest a secondary crop of grapes. This secondary crop arises laterally out of the original vine and produces smaller berries. When it is harvested, it only accounts for a fraction of the main crop yield. The secondary crop also has higher levels of acid than the main crop due to longer ripening time on the vine and during fermentation. This results in a wine that can be out of balance with harsher flavors. Occasionally, the second crop is used to make wine, but it is usually discarded.
In some cases, where the second crop is used to make wine, the amount harvested is minuscule, and there may not be enough to sell on a large scale. These second crop harvests take longer to harvest and process during fermentation. They don’t yield as much as the main crop, usually about one-tenth ton per acre. However, some vineyards do harvest the second crop or provide a profit sharing option for employees/workers to harvest the second crop for bottling and sale. The vineyard then divides the profits made from the wine of the second crop with their own employees.
