latepicked

Latepicked is an English adjective formed from late and picked, sometimes written late-picked. It denotes something that has been selected, gathered, or processed later than is typical or desirable. Because it is not a standardized technical term, its precise meaning depends on context.

In agriculture and horticulture, latepicked fruit or vegetables are harvested later in the growing season than usual. The intent is often to achieve deeper color, greater flavor concentration, or higher sugars, but the delay can increase the risk of weather damage, spoilage, or overripeness and shorten post-harvest shelf life.

In viticulture and winemaking, late-picked grapes refer to fruit harvested at a higher level of ripeness, sometimes toward the end of the harvest window. Wines from late-picked grapes tend to have higher sugar and potential alcohol, and may exhibit more intense or raisiny fruit flavors. They are commonly associated with dessert-style wines or special vintages, though practices vary by region and producer.

In other domains, latepicked may describe decisions or selections made late in a project or process, such as late-picked teams, late-picked candidates, or late-picked data samples, always implying a deviation from the planned or typical schedule.

See also: late harvest, harvest, ripening, harvest timing.