BC’s icewine harvest kicked off in the wee hours of November 28 as temperatures in the Okanagan dropped below -8 degrees Celsius, the threshold required by law for harvesting and crushing frozen grapes for one of Canada’s signature agricultural products. Quails’ Gate Estate Winery of West Kelowna was one of 20 wineries that registered with …
grapes
Autumn showers dampen harvest
A harvest update from the BC Wine Institute indicates that good weather during the growing season is buoying the optimism of winemakers during a wet harvest. September saw 40.8 mm of rain in Kelowna, well above the long-term average of 32.4 mm. October has seen 21.5 mm this month to date, on track to match …
Grape diversification in play
With the province’s grape harvest set to begin in earnest, a glance at a summary of the 2018 harvest from the BC Wine Grape Council reveals growing diversification in the province’s grape crop. The report notes that more that 42,732 tons were harvested in 2018, split almost evenly between red grapes (21,332 tons) and white …
Clean plants build confidence
A certified supply of clean plants was the key to cleaning up New Zealand vineyards and keeping vine diseases at bay, says Vaughn Bell, senior scientist with the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research. Bell was in the Okanagan last week as the featured speaker in this year’s Triggs International Premium Vinifera Lecture …
Grape growers honoured
The recent annual general meeting of the BC Wine Institute saw veteran Okanagan viticulturists Robert Goltz and Richard Cleave receive the BC Wine Institute Award of Distinction for their service to the industry. Goltz and Cleave are partners in R&R Management Services, which has overseen key vineyards for producers such as Andrew Peller Ltd. On presenting …
BC wine pioneer Harry McWatters dies
The godfather and éminence grise of many key developments in the BC wine industry has died at the age of 74. Harry McWatters died in his sleep at his home in Summerland on July 23, a week following the first anniversary of the opening of his newest venture, Time Winery in Penticton. McWatters saw 50 …