By Dylana Milobar

Ideal grape-growing weather kicks off B.C Wine Month

Apr 1, 2019 | 8:00 AM

BRITISH COLUMBIA — A slow start to winter, and current warm temperatures has B.C wineries feeling optimistic about the 2019 season.

Miles Prodan, President & CEO of the BC Wine Institute says grape growers have been thrilled with the warm start to winter, followed by a short cold snap, and the recent balmy spring temperatures.

“The way the winter has rolled out has actually been perfect for wine grapes. The fact that it took some time to finally get cold allowed for the grapes to really shut down and prepare for that cold snap,” Prodan explains. “The problem often arises when we get that cold snap too early and they haven’t shut down properly.”

In regards to the warming trend felt throughout the Okanagan and Interior, Prodan says warm days and cool nights brings balance for the grapes vine conditions.

With fire season looming, Prodan says they aren’t concerned about smoke wrecking any product.

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“It takes really direct smoke contact to affect grapes,” he explains. “So we haven’t seen any real, direct, dramatic effect of smoke.”

Today (April 1) kicks off the second annual BC Wine Month, which Prodan says celebrates the rise of B.C wines.

Last year, the B.C. government proclaimed April as the official province-wide wine month, and encouraged choosing 100 per cent BC wines. 

That push resulted in record-high British Columbia Vintners Quality Alliance (BC VQA) wine sales in April of 2018, Prodan says the BC Wine Institute is anticipating another strong showing in 2019. 

“Save-On-Food stores who have got BC VQA wine on shelf have got a number of promotions, and so do restaurants and the wineries themselves across the province,” he says. “April is a time to stop thinking about winter, and start thinking about wine touring and getting out and enjoying B.C wine.”

Prodan says the province’s wine scene has grown immensely over the last 30 years.

“We’re up to close to 350 wineries around this province that are producing wine of some sort. If its not grape wine, it’s going to be fruit wine, or it’s going to be mead wine (made of honey),” he explains. “So there’s a really great, burgeoning industry that’s hitting full stride here in B.C.”

In particular, Prodan says the growth seen throughout the Interior and Thompson Valley in the Kamloops area is phenomenal.

“The Thompson Valley has just now been recognized officially as a viticultural area under BC VQA,” he says. “So that region has been identified as being very specific, having unique qualities to the wine.”

Also in April, Prodan says they’ll be announcing the BC Wine Country Explorer’s Pass Program, which provides tastings and discounts to over 50 B.C wineries on the visit list.