All wines begin in the vineyard. Soil, climate, weather, and cultural practices affect the quality and character of the grapes. Harvest in North America usually begins in late August to early September and can last through November depending on the weather and grape variety. Once the grapes are harvested, they are placed in a destemmer/crusher, which separates the stems from the fruit and breaks up the berries. The stems are then discarded leaving a "must," a combination of juice, seeds, pulp and skins. At this point, the process for red and white wine production differs.