British Columbia
Weather wreaked havoc on British Columbia again this year, and if 2008 was a strange vintage, then 2009 was absolutely bizarre. Already hit by cold winter temperatures that reduced yields by 10 to 25 percent, an unusually cold spring had budbreak occurring two to three weeks late and vintners panicking that the grapes might never ripen.
Fast-forward to September and a textbook-perfect three months of weather had rumblings that 2009 might be the best vintage the Okanagan has ever seen. Harvest started two to three weeks earlier than average and grapes harvested in September were in perfect condition. But Mother Nature played her hand again over the Thanksgiving weekend, causing temperatures to plummet to lows of -8˚ C to -14˚ C for three straight days, killing leaves on the spot and ending any further ripening. Wineries rushed to harvest the grapes before they declined on the vine, but for some wineries it took more than two weeks.
As a result, 2009 will be a tale of two vintages in British Columbia — an ideal one for those that harvested before October 10, and a potentially negative one for those who were still picking late into the month. The lesson for consumers shopping for 2009 wines is to try before you buy.
Upcoming Events
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Characters of the Okanagan Wine Tasting Experience
September 30th- October 1st, 2011
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Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival Calgary
October 14th & 15th, 2011
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Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival Edmonton
October 21st & 22nd, 2011
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Cornucopia Whistler's Celebration of Wine and Food
November 10th-13th, 2011