Category: harvest

The BC wine harvest was just starting as I was on vacation in the Okanagan the second last week of September.  The winemakers I spoke to noted that they are about a month behind for the start of harvest.  Wines of BC sent me this press release with more information about this year’s grape harvest in BC.  Give it a…

Grape harvests have started already in the Northern Hemisphere.  Not quite yet in BC.  But you will be glad to know that it is happening in the Champagne region.  Here is the announcement about the Champagne grape harvest by Comité Champagne. ~~~ EPERNAY, France  – The Comité Champagne announced that harvest started on August 20 and will begin in the vast majority…

This is my fourth year interviewing winemakers in Ontario about their latest grape harvest and wine production.  To get a more complete picture of the harvest I asked the following questions to three winemakers in three different grape growing regions of southern Ontario, which should have some differences in climate and harvest.   The three winemakers I interviewed this year are:…

The 2021 harvest will surely be marked in our minds as COVID continues.  Plus during the summer there were major fires in BC, and now with the heavy rains and flooding, I’m sure the weather has had an impact on harvest and fermentation.  Socially distanced visitors to BC wineries ensued this year.  Overall, how did the BC grape growing season and…

Our neighbour to the south, California, produces 80% of the wine in the United States, and we are happy to enjoy the wonderful wines from the north to the south of California.  Here is their harvest report for the 2021 season. ~~~ SAN FRANCISCO — Winemakers across California predict that the 2021 vintage will be one of the best in recent memory,…

Grape harvest time is special.  There is the beauty of the ripe grapes and the leaves of the vines starting to change colours and the sights, sounds and smells of the grapes as they are sorted, crushed, and pumped to vat or barrel.  And the anticipation of making great wine from the grapes that the winery spent countless months and…

More champagne for everyone! ~~~ EPERNAY, FRANCE – The Comité Champagne today announced the 2021 Champagne harvest started on 6 September. Weather conditions in the Champagne region are good for the ripening of the grapes, but conditions across the vineyard are unusually varied. Because Champagne always picks its grapes by hand, this means that the organization of picking this year will have to be adjusted.   Weather conditions in…

Many of us are familiar with the wine regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and the Rhone Valley, but there are many sub-regions, which have their own Appellation d’origine Contrôlée (AOC) that produce quality wines at reasonable prices.  Many of the wineries are family-run as well, with the vineyards and wineries being passed down through families.  I would like to present…

In November 2020, I interviewed a few BC winemakers about their current harvest. From their discussions, I determined that overall the growing season was average, but there was a cooler rainy spring. August and September had good weather. Harvest started a little later than usual. Rain and the crazy snowfall in October influenced smaller yields, but there was still some…

This is my third year interviewing winemakers in Ontario about their latest grape harvest and wine production.  To get a more complete picture of the harvest I asked the following questions to three winemakers in three different grape growing regions of southern Ontario, which should have some differences in climate and harvest.  But this year was a little different as…