Grapes fine despite snow, may result in more sweet wines: Wine Growers B.C.

The snow that fell this week, and the recent cold snap, are not expected to have negative impacts on Okanagan wineries.

That’s according to Wine Growers British Columbia communications director, Laura Kittmer, who told Vernon Matters there was a “mad dash” by Okanagan growers to harvest grapes ahead of the snow.

“With this early onset of frost and snow, wineries were prepared to bring in the grapes in advance, most of them had already been brought in in advance,” said Kittmer.

She added any grapes left on the vine that have ripened and have not been impacted by any disease or pests are not considered a lost cause.

“[Some] wineries are expecting to harvest for ice wine and late harvest, so they will leave the grapes on the vine until -8 degree weather, and at that point, they’re able to pick the grapes, and with a little bit of dehydration and treatment, make that into ice wine. So we will continue to see grapes hanging for ice wine and late harvest.”

In order to be designated an ice wine, growers needed to register their grapes with the B.C. Wine Authority by Wednesday, Nov. 9.

A total of eight wineries registered to make ice wine before the deadline, including one in West Kelowna, though Kittmer could not say which of the region’s wineries it was that had registered in time.

However, wineries that haven’t registered can still leave grapes on the vine in the cold, where they will dehydrate and accumulate sugars and acidity.

“All of those traits are what you’re looking for if you’re making a late harvest, sweeter style wine or an ice wine,” Kittmer explained, adding wineries not wanting to make those styles of wine will want to harvest their grapes as soon as possible.

She noted the majority of late-harvest grapes being grown in the region prior to the snow were merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and sirah, all of which can be used for making sweet or ice wines, though she added some wineries may have been preparing for the weather and had other varieties growing as well.

“If there was any grapes left on the vine to be made into [a sweet wine], it was probably a later ripening red grape, however, if those grapes were left on the vine intentionally to be made into ice wine, it could be any colour grape,” Kittmer told Vernon Matters.

“It could be a chardonnay, it could be gewurztraminer, it could be merlot, it could be riesling, it could be any red or white grape.”

Kittmer added, though it was a late start to the season this year, there were prime growing conditions in the Okanagan Valley in the summer and fall, which should translate to an excellent 2022 vintage.

“There was a bit of a larger crop this year. It wasn’t a large crop but it does sound like it’s going to be a healthier crop than what we’ve seen in the last two years and the quality is looking outstanding. Very clean, beautiful fresh fruit coming in off the vine. It’s been an exciting harvest for wineries up and down the valley.”