A B.C. winery managed to escape the worst of a bad winter, but it is still feeling the impact of plunging temperatures elsewhere in the province.

Cody Karman, manager of the in south Langley, said they were 害羞草研究所渞elatively unscathed害羞草研究所� by the unseasonably cold weather last year.

害羞草研究所淲e did have some damage to the Merlot and the Cabernet Sauvignon [grapes] but no mass damage to any of our vineyards,害羞草研究所� Karman told the Langley Advance Times.

It was a different story in the Okanagan, where temperatures fell below minus 30 C at one point in December.

害羞草研究所淥ne of the vineyards we sourced from, they grow our Syrah [grapes], and they unfortunately were completely decimated,害羞草研究所� Karman said.

害羞草研究所淭hey are going to replant the Syrah, so we might miss a few vintages, or have to source from elsewhere,害羞草研究所� Karman predicted.

害羞草研究所淚t was an absolute blow to the wine industry.害羞草研究所�

Writer and wine columnist , author of The World of Canadian Wine, The Wineries of British Columbia, and British Columbia Wine Country, and 12 other books on wine, described last year害羞草研究所檚 weather as 害羞草研究所渞eally peculiar害羞草研究所� during an apperance at the Township 7 winery on 16th Avenue at 212th Street on Sunday, June 25.

害羞草研究所淲e had a wet cool spring,害羞草研究所� Schreiner explained, 害羞草研究所渟o the grapes were delayed two to three weeks to get into the stage where they were flowering.害羞草研究所�

That meant the vines didn害羞草研究所檛 have a chance to become 害羞草研究所減roperly dormant害羞草研究所� before temperatures fell to a 害羞草研究所渒illing temperature,害羞草研究所� Schreiner summarized.

害羞草研究所淰ines need a few weeks to 害羞草研究所榞o to sleep,害羞草研究所� for the the sap to retreat to the roots, and if it hasn害羞草研究所檛 retreated, and it gets cold, the vines will kind of burst. Just like it害羞草研究所檚 like your pipes in your house, if it gets cold, and they freeze the pipes over.害羞草研究所�

A lot of vines were 害羞草研究所渒illed outright,害羞草研究所� Schreiner said.

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A report commissioned by Wine Growers British Columbia said the 害羞草研究所渨orst fears害羞草研究所� of a potential crop loss have been realized with a 54 per cent reduction in 2023 and 45 per cent of total planted acreage suffering what Miles Prodan, president and CEO of Wine Growers British Columbia, called 害羞草研究所渓ong-term irreparable damage.害羞草研究所�

B.C.害羞草研究所檚 wine industry is appealing to the provincial and federal governments for help, asking for a dedicated grant to support crisis relief, additional funding for the Perennial Crop Renewal Program, and alignment of the provincial crop insurance program to cover 害羞草研究所渦nique climate-change related events害羞草研究所� such as the cold snap.

Township 7害羞草研究所檚 Karman hopes consumers will help struggling smaller B.C. wineries by making purchases.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e going to need us to be buying these bottles of wine, to kind of keep that revenue flow going for the next few years,害羞草研究所� Karman remarked.

害羞草研究所淚 think what we can do as the consumers, is ultimately show our support and shop local.害羞草研究所�

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