An increasing number of famous Bordeaux estates are using space-age technology to help them deliver the perfect wines.
Choosing the correct time to pick Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec grapes has, for many years, been a skill developed by vintners through local knowledge, intuition and just a little guesswork.
However, many chateaux are now using satellite technology to make sure that the grapes they pick are in the best possible condition.
According to an article in the Daily Telegraph, first growth estates and smaller vineyards alike are now regularly checking the photographs taken by satellite-borne cameras hovering 500 miles above the earth.
Each of these devices takes multispectral snaps at such a rate that it covers 1,000 plots every eight seconds.
The Spot-5 and Formosat-2 satellites can detect the surface area and variation of the leaf canopy across an entire vineyard, giving an indication of the water levels in the soil, presence of minerals and even a hint at grape bunch weight.
Stephen Carrier, estate manager at the Chateau de Fieuzal in the Pessac-Leognan vineyards of the Bordeaux region, told France's space policy agency CNES just how much he and other vintners have come to rely on the technology.
"We can now differentiate grapes at the same stage of maturity and send them to specific vats. It's what you might call 'precision harvesting'," he said.
Fabien Teitgen, technical director at Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, added: "We can now look at difference zones by colour, then taste grapes in these zones, quickly make links between them and decide to bunch together or separate them out."
Satellite photography is not the only technological introduction that is helping winemakers bring their wines into the 21st century.
Bordeaux recent Vinexpo trade fair saw French firm Prooftag display their new bottle seals.
The tags use a unique bubble pattern that disappears once the seal is broken. The authenticity of the seal can easily be checked using the camera on a smartphone, protecting buyers from counterfeiters.