The effects of last January’s deep freeze in British Columbia, which reduced the 2024 grape crop to less than 5 per cent of a normal year, continue to challenge the wine industry. Wineries are faced with restoring vineyards while adapting their businesses to survive.
To maintain supply some winemaking teams looked to Washington State, Oregon and elsewhere for grapes to make replacement wines last fall. (These new releases will be handled differently than local wines; shelved separately in a different category at liquor stores and potentially listed under a different category on menus.)
The wineries that brought in grapes or juice from Washington State and beyond will need to explain the effort behind these temporary wines while they wait for vineyards at home to bounce back. I have found that the winemakers who embraced the opportunity are quick to share the origin of the grapes they are using – McMinnville in Oregon, Red Mountain in Washington State, Sonoma County in California and other places – however they won’t be able to declare specific appellations or geographic indicators without approval.
Winemakers such as Alison Moyes from Solvero, Mary McDermott from Township 7 and Ross Wise from Black Hills looked to regions with similar climates and geography to make wines with similar character to their established labels. They wish to maintain a consistent style and quality to satisfy loyal customers, making frequent trips during the growing season to check vineyards, monitor harvest and processing and oversee shipping juice or wine home for aging and bottling.
Other wineries, such as Gold Hill, Haywire and Phantom Creek, opted to take the financial hit of a lost vintage than potentially confuse consumers. They have concerns that using foreign grapes will damage the hard-earned reputation of locally grown wine. They already compete with a large category of inexpensive blended wines that combine domestic and imported wines, which is the largest selling category in the province, and which often carry branding that suggests they are local products.
Born out of extreme circumstances, these wines are a product of innovation and resiliency. They help maintain jobs and talent not only in the wine trade, but in the related hospitality and tourism sectors.
A winemaker only has a limited number of harvests in their career. Missing a vintage is a lost opportunity to hone skills.
The British Columbia industry can gain valuable experience working with grapes from vineyards from other regions, while forging relationships with talented growers and winemakers in Washington State, Oregon and elsewhere. Building a network of resources and seeing how other quality-minded winemakers handle different challenges can only be beneficial in the long run.
There’s also the benefit that workers in other regions see the quality approach employed in British Columbia. Increasing international knowledge of Canadian wine is always a net positive.
The 2024 frost was another significant roadblock for an industry reeling from a string of challenging years. The 2023 harvest was a short crop owing to cold events, which saw 58 per cent of normal yields processed. Winemakers have had to contend with summer droughts and extreme heat that have stressed vineyards and fuelled wildfires, which ravaged the landscape and blanketed vineyards with smoke, creating a risk of smoke-tainted wines.
According to Wines of British Columbia, an organization that represents the interests of the industry, the average cost to replant an acre of vineyard is $42,360. Vineyard owners are faced with vines killed by recent frosts as well as weakened vines harmed by frost or suffering from permanent viral diseases that aren’t fully productive.
Looking toward the future, the health of the vineyards isn’t the only consideration. There is another quick way to help the viability of the wine industry. Winery owners would benefit from greater access to Canadian consumers.
Having secured direct delivery to Alberta consumers earlier this month, British Columbia wineries are focusing efforts to remove the remaining inter-provincial trade laws. Wines made in British Columbia can be shipped direct to consumers in western provinces and Nova Scotia.
Ontario and Quebec are still closed markets, although direct shipments from wineries occur owing to a lack of enforcement. Wine lovers who order wines direct tend to focus on premium, small-batch wines that would be unlikely to be widely available at LCBO or SAQ outlets.
I recently reviewed one of the first replacement wines, Terravista’s sparkling albarino made from Californian grapes, and will continue to recommend other worthy examples in addition to conventionally made wines from British Columbia, such as the three featured this week.
Artakama Cabernet Franc 2022 (Canada), $34.99
From the producers of LaStella and Le Vieux Pin, Artakama embraces low-intervention winemaking techniques. Grapes from a vineyard in south Osoyoos were used to produce this fragrant and juicy red that reveals tart cherry and plummy fruit with herbal notes. It was fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged briefly in older French oak puncheon (500-litre barrel) before being bottled unfined and unfiltered in March, 2023. Decant for best enjoyment and serve with a chill. Drink now to 2028. Available direct, shopenotecca.ca.
Burrowing Owl Cabernet Franc 2022 (Canada), $34.44
Made in a rich and ripe style, Burrowing Owl’s cabernet franc is a blend of grapes from the winery’s vineyards in Osoyoos and Oliver. Aging in a mix of old and new (26 per cent) French, American and Hungarian oak barrels contributes to its concentrated and layered character. Expect a satisfying mix of dark fruit, cedar and spice notes that show potential to develop in the cellar. Drink now to 2032. Available direct, burrowingowlwine.ca.
Red Barn at Jagged Rock Lost Art Semillon 2023 (Canada), $32
A recent addition to Anthony von Mandl’s collection of Okanagan wineries, Red Barn focuses on small-batch wines made from the Jagged Rock vineyard near Oliver. The limited production (744 bottles) of this rich and refreshing semillon is one of the standouts of the portfolio. The impressive mix of bright citrus, grass and sage flavours are enhanced by stony notes and a creamy texture. Drink now to 2027. Available direct, redbarn.wine.
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