amanda barnes

Many people have a romantic image of grape picking: fuelled by holiday packages grape picking in Southern France, sun soaked paintings of pickers at dawn and Russell Crowe movies.
Even Mendoza's Vendimia festival gives the impression that the harvest is somewhat glamorous. But beauty queens (who rarely visit a vineyard), parades and cocktail parties are a mile apart from the tough reality of grape picking... Hours are long, conditions are difficult and payment is poor.
Most cosechadores are from northern Argentina or illegal workers from Bolivia and they just about make a living travelling around doing fruit and vegetable harvests of different seasons.
This is 'a day in the life of a grape picker' compiled through interviews with grape pickers, vineyard managers, winery owners, other associated professionals and a rather feeble day of grape picking in last year's harvest.