Wineries across British Columbia are getting ready to open their tasting rooms for the season, and they have lots of wines to sell – soon the new releases will be bottled too.
However, behind the scenes there are many challenges BC wineries are facing – here I will focus on one.
In January of 2024 there was a catastrophic cold weather freeze that damaged fruit crops across the interior of BC, including grapes.
Preliminary examinations of grapevines indicate that many buds are dead. We cannot know for sure until spring when “bud break” happens – usually May/June. At this time grape growers and wineries will see how much damage there is.
It could range from reduced crop, to NO CROP AT ALL. And this is across dozens of wineries, maybe hundreds. The damage cannot be measured until the bud break occurs.
IT’S NOT LOOKING GOOD
If the buds are dead, then that means no crop this fall.
So what can BC wineries do?
Maintain Status Quo
Hold on and stay strong – use existing wine inventory to get through next year, and hope that Mother Nature is kinder in 2025.
Look at Replanting
If it turns out that the vines are dead, replanting may be needed.
Some wineries have crop insurance, and some do not.
Either way, this will be expensive; and government aid to recover may be needed but nothing has been decided yet. First we need to see and measure the damage in the spring.
Bring in Grapes From Another Jurisdiction
Winery owners are looking into the possibilities of buying grapes from another area. Options are:
· Ontario
· United States (Washington/Oregon)
· Another international region
BUT NOT SO FAST
A challenge is that most land-based BC wineries are on the Agricultural Land Reserve, and ALR located wineries are not permitted to make wine with grapes from outside BC.
To work around this, land based wineries, may ask the ALC for permission AND the LDB for permission for a temporary change to the ALC and LDB’s land-based winery rules to allow some form of the above without losing land-based status.
If permissions are granted, then the wineries have some options for bringing in grapes from outside BC.
Again, nothing is decided yet, and all is in the learning and discussion stage.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW
BC wineries have had a rough few years, and need your support now.
Order online – order from the winery. Join the wine club of your favourite.
Order BC wine at restaurants.
Buy bottles of BC wine from your favourite retailer
Leave a positive online review of a BC winery
VISIT BC wine country - often! Wineries cannot wait to welcome visitors this year, and have lots of tasting opportunities and events planned.
ONE MORE THING
I was interviewed on CKNW News Talk 980 Radio on this topic. Do you have 10 minutes?
In a 10 minute listen you can hear me chat with Rob Fai (filling in for Jill Bennett) – and I have an important question? Will you buy BC wine if grapes from another region are in the bottle?
Go here and choose Feb 26 1PM and then fast forward to 47 minutes past
We LOVE BC Wine
Our agency is proud to do the design and marketing for several BC wineries, and we care deeply about their businesses and their teams. Please support a BC winery today.