2017 Wine Survey

We always look forward to our annual survey of winemakers and grape growers. It’s a chance for us to hear directly from our readers about what’s happening in the industry.

But this year we were a little nervous about what we’d hear. It has been a year of fire, floods and general catastrophe…  but we were relieved to hear growers and winemakers coming through with more tales of triumph than tribulation.

The weird weather certainly created some issues, but on balance it appears wineries have found ways to make the weather work for them, and BC is on its way to another solid vintage.

But there were more changes in the offing than climate change alone; a BC election ushered in new leadership in the Ministry of Agriculture, and the federal government brought in controversial tax proposals that had many farmers fuming.

Also in the realm of politics, threats and a NAFTA challenge from the United States has BC winemakers worried for the future.

In this issue we take the temperature of an industry bursting with success ... but with concerns for the future.   

What do you think was the most popular varietal?

  1. Pinot Gris
  2. Pinot Noir
  3. Rosé
  4. Blends
  5. Foch
  6. Gamay Noir
  7. Gruner Veltliner
  8. Merlot
  9. Pinot
  10. Pinot Blanc
  11. Pinot Grigio
  12. Red Blends
  13. Reds
  14. Reisling
  15. Sauvignon Blanc
  16. Syrah
  17. White Blend

What are people looking for in wine this year?

  • Quality for a good price.
  • Balance
  • Fruit Forward
  • Crisp
  • Low Sugar
  • Low Tannins
  • Approachable Reds
  • Smooth Whites
  • Complicated Reds
  • Rosé
  • Something Different

What was your best producing varietal grown this year?

Did this year’s weather have a positive or negative effect on your business?

Did your grapes suffer from the fires and/or floods in BC?

Did your grapes suffer from the fires and/or floods in BC? Reader Comments

  • The forest fires smoke did impact us in June and July but before veraison so we were not heavily impacted. Dry weather for June, July, August with no rain for 10 weeks was great for us.
  • A few samples showed traces of smoke it was worrying, the flooding caused mildew problems.
  • We have a clay subsurface and lots of moisture to sustain the grapes without irrigation.
  • We were negatively impacted in June with rain and flooding of shuswap lake and in July because of heavy smoke coverage.
  • Excess water in the vineyard.
  • A landslide wiped out 9 rows of vines and hundreds of metres of deer fence. During three heat waves the vines shutdown.
  • Extremely wet, cool spring. Flowering was delayed.
  • Loss of sales due to poor fruit set.
  • Because of the wet spring there was more mildew evident in grapes.
  • Increased powdery mildew pressure.
  • Decreased UV, increased disease pressure.
  • Haze in the valley interrupted the normal maturity process.
  • Smoke in the valley kept temperatures under control and provided a more stable growing season. Very few +35 degree days.
  • Smoke blanket stopped the cool evenings so grapes stayed warm all night.
  • Heat allowed the grapes to ripen at the last minute.
  • The air pressure changed our decision not to pick at all, to scrambling and losing about 70% to the birds & other animals
  • Because we had a late spring the hotter summer helped boost the ripening.
  • Higher yield.

Smoke, fire & floods how did this impact your business?

ROAD CLOSURES - SALES DOWN

  • Fires caused road closure and loss of revenue.
  • The early season flooding and the summer smoke from BC wildfires hindered tourism. This ultimately resulted in less wine sales at the winery.
  • Fires as a result of hot season kept people away.

WAS IT THE MEDIA’S FAULT?

  • Negative attention in the media about flooding.
  • Tourism was down due to media attention for floods and fires. This slowed tourism traffic during spring flooding and later during forest fire season.
  • The “alarmist” coverage of the flooding and the fires kept the tourists away.
  • Media reports on smoke and flooding reduced number of visitors. The towns were less full than usual.
  • Tourism was down as they stayed away because of reports of flooding, fires, and smoke.
  • Tourism was down, media’s generic determination of the town is flooded and then on fire didn’t help. We were not near the flood or fire.

SOME GOOD NEWS!

  • Tourism picked up as the summer moved along.
  • Wine touring was up in Cowichan Valley. Possibly more people chose touring Vancouver Island rather than the interior due to the fires in the interior BC.
  • On the bright side, the sunsets were awesome.

What are your thoughts on the importance of shipping Canadian wines directly to Canadian consumers? (In reference to Supreme Court granting intervenor status at Comeau case to a group of 5 small wineries seeking to change the law governing inter-provincial shipping.)

How concerned are you about the US government launching a challenge at the World Trade Organization about allegedly unfair practices in the BC wine industry?

What do you think of the proposed tax changes for small business?

THE GOOD

  • A reduction in tax is always good.
  • It won’t affect us. I think it is a sham that a doctor can split income with inactive partner to reduce tax.

THE BAD

  • I think the government is looking at small business to solve our tax problems, yet small businesses are the ones with the greatest need for tax breaks. Meanwhile big business continues to reap the benefits of being in bed with the government.
  • Not exactly sure but it will discourage future young farmers.
  • Growing weary of tax changes. They create uncertainty and undermine planning.
  • Unhappy. The tax changes do not seem to have been thought through.

& THE UGLY

  • It is horrible and I pray to God and our Prime Minister that it does not get passed without significant changes.
  • Another tax grab to fill the coffers…very little to do with fairness.
  • Bad, Terrible, Horrific, It Sucks

What are your hopes, dreams or greatest accomplishment for your business or the industry as a whole?

  • That we continue to flourish and can share our passion with our guests. That we continue to raise the bar on the guest experience and the quality of wines offered throughout the valley.
  • Hope: That consumers normalize the idea of buying local wines as a first choice. Dream: That growing a vineyard without a winery could be profitable.
  • Sustained net profit...that is the only issue to the long term survival of this industry. We must work together to achieve this.
  • Surviving. It is our 35/50 Anniversary this year - 35 as a winery and 50 years of planting grapes.
  • We can start to focus on producing even better wines instead of having to focus on the political bureaucracy that governs our industry.
  • Growing world-class quality fruit to craft world-class wines!
  • Capture a loyal local following and produce consistent wine.
  • It would eventually be nice to break even.
  • My hope, as I’m sure is the same for other wineries of BC, is for the world take a closer look at the quality of wine we produce and begin to take us more seriously.

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