Laura Kittmer
The early arrival of summer weather followed by cooler temperatures throughout June and July has put BC wineries and vineyards on track for another great season. Since April, wineries have seen a strong increase in visitors, both local and international, with winery sales continuing to grow.
Throughout spring, BC winery sales accounted for more than 20 per cent of all BC VQA Wine sales in the province. BC VQA Wine sales are up 12 per cent year on year, which is 6.4 per cent ahead of the total provincial market growth of 5.6 per cent.
In July, Scott Locke, general manager of CedarCreek Estate Winery in Kelowna, reported they were 8.8 per cent ahead of last year in volume and 8.4 per cent up on visitor traffic (compared to the same period last year), with record sales numbers through the first two long weekends of the season. “This year will no doubt be a record year here at the winery,” he said.
On August 1, Bella Wines, located on the Naramata Bench in the Okanagan Valley, confirmed their wine shop was sold out. Luckily, the small family-owned winery, which sells less than 60,000 litres of sparkling wine annually, does plan to release a Reserve Rosé in November.
John Pullen, marketing director of Church and State Wines in Victoria reported a great season for wineries on Vancouver Island with a lot of American visitors, but also suggested that Vancouverites are increasingly hopping on the ferry for a quick getaway to the Island.
According to Statistics Canada, US visitor arrivals to BC were up 11 per cent year-to-date as of June and up 12.4 per cent in International overnight visitors.
More tourists also ventured beyond the borders of BC’s five official wine regions to explore wineries in the emerging regions. Harper’s Trail Estate Winery in Kamloops extended their tasting room hours this season and reported record numbers of visitors from abroad, neighbouring provinces and locally, all wanting to experience the Kamloops wine region.
This year’s wine crop is also on track for another successful season. Despite the cooler weather in July, the hot, dry temperatures in spring led to the earliest budbreak on record across the province boosting the overall growth and length of the season and leading to another record-breaking start to the grape harvest in British Columbia.
Evolve Cellars in Summerland began harvest on August 17, making this their earliest harvest to date. It also marked the start of BC Wine pioneer and leader Harry McWatters’ 49th vintage in the BC Wine Industry. Congratulations Harry, the industry thanks you for all of your dedication and commitment to our premium growing wine industry!
George Hanson, owner of Seven Stones Winery in the Similkameen Valley, thinks the cooler weather this summer has actually worked out to be a benefit for BC wineries. He said things were moving too quickly at the beginning, and slowing down the ripening of the grapes has allowed for some great flavours to develop as they cruise into harvest.
Winemakers and viticulturists from around the province are excited for this year’s vintage, projecting a later harvest than last year for longer ripening grapes, which can be good for allowing lengthier hang time into September to develop the flavours and retain crisp acidity – both signature qualities of 100 per cent BC Wine.
Budbreak in the Fraser Valley started four weeks ahead of schedule, in the first week of March, but the cooler weather in June and July helped to extend the growing season. Andrew Etsell, general manager and viticulturist at Singletree Winery in Abbotsford said they will start the 2016 harvest with their early-ripening Siegerrebe, followed by Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, with Grüner Veltliner and Sauvignon Blanc to follow. They are also carefully watching their two acres of Pinot Noir, which will be used for Rosé and their first-ever vintage of traditional method sparkling wine. “If trends continue, we expect another great vintage in the Fraser Valley,” noted Etsell.
While overall pleased with the growing conditions this season, the cooler temperatures combined with rain and wind did create challenges for grapegrowers in some regions. In July, Harper’s Trail Estate Winery fell victim to summer hail damaging 10 per cent of their crop. “Unfortunately this is an issue that we just have to roll with. It’s all part of farming,” said Caleb Hanaghan, production manager at Harper’s Trail Estate Winery. Being early in the season, Hanaghan was optimistic that taking preventative steps on the issues that can derive from hail damage would mediate any further crop loss within the vineyard.
With harvest now underway, grapegrowers and winemakers across the province are predicting this will be another great vintage for BC Wine. ■
To keep up-to-date on the harvest, follow @WineBCdotcom, #BCHarvest2015 and #Icewine on Twitter.
Laura Kittmer is the Media Relations Manager at the British Columbia Wine Institute. www.winebc.org