OSOYOOS – While the 2024 grape crop across the southern Interior was 10% of normal thanks to the cumulative effects of extreme cold events in two consecutive winters, the losses weren’t spread evenly.
BC growers typically harvest in the range of 30,000 tons of wine grapes, but in 2023 that fell to 19,570 tons. In 2024, some vineyards delivered 80% of their usual crop while many others were littered with acres of dead vines.
Ironically, the results may be the true measure of the province’s grape sector.
“This is a true reflection of our BC growing conditions and industry,” says Michael Kullmann, winemaker at Osoyoos Larose in Osoyoos. “We have such a variety of slopes, aspects and soil types. Some vineyards are close to the lake and some are at higher elevations and further north. We grow some 90 different grape varieties with multiple clones of each variety and about half are own-rooted and the rest are on a variety of rootstocks.”
Kullmann adds that there are as many management styles as there are viticulturists, meaning pruning, fertilizing, crop load, disease management and irrigation can vary significantly between vineyards.
Riesling has fared the best, according to reports.
“We had an 80% Riesling crop in our home vineyard which is right next to the lake,” says Stefanie Schales, general manager at 8th Generation Vineyard in Summerland. “We were also able to purchase additional Riesling grapes from Monte Creek Farm east of Kamloops.”
At Waldhof Family Estate Winery in Kelowna’s Mission area, owner Reto Gebert saw a 60% Riesling crop. His Gamay produced fruit as well, but much of it was lost to birds and bears, something other growers also experienced.
“We are stubborn and we picked 210 kg of Gamay from our 7.1 acres,” Gebert says.
Hybrids fared better in many areas.
Gebert says his Marechal Foch yielded a “normal” crop.
Over in the Similkameen, Orofino Vineyards winemaker John Weber says he agreed to buy some Foch he was offered, but in the end there was not enough crop worth picking.
The vineyards between Oliver and Osoyoos and those in the Similkameen appear to be the hardest hit.
“We had -32°C for 40 hours (last) January so absolutely no crop,” says Andrew Moon, viticulture manager for Bartier Bros. Vineyard and Winery just a few kilometres south of Oliver. “We will have to replant about 50% of our vines.”
That will include a block of Syrah, known to be a cold-tender variety.
“Michael Bartier has replanted Syrah a couple times now and it hasn’t worked for us. It just doesn’t make economic sense to keep replanting,” Moon says. “We will replace it with Chenin Blanc, put in some more Cabernet Franc which does well on our site and seems to have done better than most in the cold, along with more Semillon.”
But a wholesale change in varieties planted across BC is unlikely.
Tweaking
“I would call it tweaking,” say Rhys Pender, who conducted a series of industry townhalls in November. “I am hearing that there will be adjustments if a variety didn’t do well in a particular site.”
Some growers are talking about planting a small amount of hybrids just as insurance.
“They could use them in blends and if there is another freeze event, they would have some grapes to process,” Pender says. “But overall, if a variety is known for making good wine from a particular grape, even if they have to replant, they are going to continue with that variety.”
When temperatures get really low, hybrids don’t have all that much advantage over popular European viniferas, UBC associate professor Elizabeth Wolkovich told the BC Grapegrowers Association and BC Winegrape Council joint grower day last August.
“Marquette, a hybrid developed in Minnesota, can be damaged at -26°C or -27°C; that’s close to Pinot Gris,” she says.
Vine management for next year depends on the strength that vines have shown over the summer. Vines that survived grew shoots and leaves, either from the tops of the vine or from the trunk closer to ground level.
“I believe I am seeing some of the healthiest vines ever going into the winter,” says Moon. “We farmed all summer, but the vines weren’t working to produce fruit; it was a mild fall with lots of moisture, so they are really set.”
Pruning crews will be able to tie those canes to trellis wires next spring.
“In our Chardonnay, for example, we have six or seven shoots that we can use as canes next year and could produce 2.5 to 3 tons to the acre,” Moon says.
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Roots to growth in an agrarian community