This notion takes its origin in the remote Antiquity ; various criteria presided  over its binding  in times according to the situation of the celestial bodies in the Ancient Egypt then by the local authorities under the Roman in the Middle Ages.

At the end of the last century, the regulation for “Appellation d’Origine  Contrôlée” wines obliges  to respect a date of grape harvest fixed by an order of the Prefect.  The rural code   ask  INAO to propose to the prefect a date of beginning of  harvest for each area of AOC after the professionals of Labor  Unions for the  defence of AOC  give their opinion.

Today the organization highly specialized in the controls of maturity allowed the abolition of this administrative measure, as far as for each AOC  the conditions of harvest  are determined every year ( minimum potential degree ,maximum degree of mature wine , maximum yields ….) which  make each wine producer responsible for the date of beginning of grape harvests.

The publication of the “ban des vendanges” still remains a tradition for some AOC but it is most often linked to festive and promotional events, such is the case in Saint-Emilion.

The date of harvests varies much according  to the vineyards : the record  of precocity is gained  each year by the beginning  of harvest of Muscat with small grapes  in the vineyard of “Rivesaltes”  approximately  15^th August. The first  Sauvignon of the “Graves” vineyard reach their full maturity in the last decade of the month of August.  The precocity  of  harvest  was the current trend during most of the vintages of this new century.

Synthesis from an article published  in the “Journée Vinicole” dated 25/08/2011 no 22930

Website : www.journée-vinicole.com