The Braud 9090X used in the challenge was equipped with a new destemmer and side conveyor system that enables non-stop harvesting in high-yield vineyards. The test was made possible thanks to the support of C&S Devito vineyards and Riverland Vintners Winery: the fleet used during the test included a Braud 9090X, five New Holland T4.105F tractors and an Iveco Stralis 560hp truck.

The performance test took place on the 21st of March 2018 in Waikerie, South Australia, on a seven-hectare red-grape parcel. While white varieties typically return higher yields, New Holland targeted a Shiraz grape variety to focus not only on capacity, but also on sample quality.

“This test shows how top productivity can go hand-in-hand with extraordinary harvesting and destemming accuracy”, stated Thierry Le Briquer, head of the Grape & Olive Product Line at New Holland. “The test also confirms New Holland as the absolute leader in the grape harvester business, and the Braud 9090X as the highest-productivity grape-harvester ever”.

New Braud 9090X series: best productivity for growers, best grape sample for winemakers

The new Braud 9090X series with destemmer and side conveyor is the most state-of-the-art  grape harvester to date, providing wine growers with  exceptional capacity and speed of operation – while improving wine quality by removing stems and MOG from the fruit sample.

The 9090X series is based on proven Braud design, which revolutionised grape harvesting and continues to offer the gentlest treatment of the vine and harvested crop. Thanks to their 90-degree turn angle, Braud 9090X harvesters have the tightest turn radius on the market. The integrated Intelligent Management System with IntelliView™ touch-screen monitor provides full access to all key harvesting functions and boosts efficiency and productivity.

The Braud 9090X is equipped with a 175 hp, 6-cylinder FPT Industrial Common Rail power unit that delivers unparalleled output, uptime and fuel economy, together with maximum sustainability.

The unique Braud SDC shaking system allows each shaking rod to be independent, rear-mounted on a flexible support that allows perfect control of the shaker for the gentlest picking. The Noria bucket and fruit-catching system enables collection and transport with no fruit maceration.

After 43 years of leadership, these innovative picking systems are still recognised as the productivity benchmark, and provide winemakers with an extra-clean fruit sample.

Thanks to the newly-introduced destemming technology for side conveyor, large-scale grape growers will benefit from the highest productivity as well as the best fruit sample. Racchis, stems and other green debris are removed upon harvesting, hence avoiding MOG contamination during transport and unloading. This dramatically improves wine quality.

“We believe destemmed fruit quality is to become the next standard for the most demanding winemakers. Very soon some of the worlds most celebrated premium-quality wines could be produced from grapes harvested and destemmed by just one of our machines” says Philippe Boisseau, Grape & Olive Global Product Manager. “The Braud 9090X with the destemming unit represents a real breakthrough in the market, coupling high capacity with top wine quality. We see enormous market potential for this combination, which has recently been launched in the North American and Asia & Pacific Regions.”

Braud grape harvesters: over 15,000 units since 1975

Braud released its first self-propelled grape harvester (the Braud 1020) in 1975, drawing on the vast harvesting machinery know-how it had built up since 1870, the year in which Alexandre Braud founded the company.

The machines are manufactured in the French plant of Coex - New Holland's Centre of Excellence for self-propelled grape and olive harvesters – where more than 15,000 Braud grape harvesters have been produced to date. This means one out of two machines in operation globally is a New Holland. Braud grape harvesters are sold in more than 30 countries worldwide.

“New Holland grape harvesters, together with specialty tractors, confirm our worldwide leadership in the specialized sector” states Carlo Lambro, New Holland Agriculture Brand President. “We continue to offer farmers undisputed technological excellence, efficiency and profitability in orchard, vineyard and specialty applications – and this strongly contributes to our brand reputation and value”.

SGS-verified key statistics of the performance test

(*) MOG: weight of Material Other than Grape compared to grape weight