Vendange tardive, which means « late harvest » in French, refers to a winemaking technique where grapes are left on the vine for an extended period of time to allow them to develop increased levels of sugar and flavors

Vendange tardive, which means « late harvest » in French, refers to a winemaking technique where grapes are left on the vine for an extended period of time to allow them to develop increased levels of sugar and flavors. This technique is commonly used in the production of sweet wines, such as Sauternes in Bordeaux, where the grapes are affected by noble rot (botrytis cinerea) to concentrate sugars and flavors. The process of vendange tardive typically involves carefully selecting individual grapes or bunches and manually harvesting them at a later stage than the regular harvest, usually when they have reached a high sugar content. The resulting wines are often rich, sweet, and concentrated, with flavors of honey, dried apricot, and tropical fruits.