Not enough people were willing to brave the freezing temperatures to pluck frozen grapes the past couple of nights, so Summerhill Pyramid Winery only got about two-thirds of the grapes picked that they had left on the vine for making icewine.
The labour shortage could be partly because there is an estimated 1,000 tonnes or so of grapes which have been left hanging on the vines in the Okanagan this year, waiting for the required temperatures of -8 C or below to pick to make the premium icewine.
The discomfort of picking frozen marbles at that temperature, and the difficulty of finding enough people to take them off—often in the dark while the temperatures are lowest—has been circumvented by Calona Vineyards, where winemaker Howard Soon says they now pick them by machine. “There are no frozen fingers that way,” he commented.
This is one of the earliest starts to the icewine grape harvest in the Okanagan, which sometimes doesn’t get underway until February if the winter is mild.
That means the quantity and quality are better, according to some, although Ingo Grady, director of wine education for Mission Hill Family Estate, says some prefer some freezing and thawing cycles before picking the rock-hard grapes, to achieve different nuances of flavour.
In all, 29 wineries in the valley left grapes hanging on a total of 270 acres in the valley for picking to make icewine, reports Lindsay Kelm, communications manager for the B.C. Wine Institute.
The first icewine grapes picked this year were at Little Straw Vineyards in West Kelowna, early Wednesday morning while temperatures were at -10 C and they went back later in the day and finished at 10 p.m. that night.
Nearby, Volcanic Hills Estate Winery completed their harvest that day as well, picking Riesling, Zweigelt and Chardonnay.
Eric von Krosigk, winemaker at Summerhill says they began picking Wednesday as well, in Okanagan Falls, Osoyoos and at the winery in the Mission area, but they weren’t able to finish in any of those vineyards.
Labour was an issue in the south part of the valley, where large blocks of grapes have been left for icewine.
Anyone interested in picking Thursday night, should call 250-809-1446.
In all, they kept back 20 acres of grapes, and he says the quality is fantastic. “It’s golden for us this year. We lost 85 per cent of the crop by the time it got cold enough last year. And, there’s been lots of sun so the sugars are up.”
However, he noted it’s been a weird year weather-wise, making it a long harvest season.
Grady noted that too, and said they began the regular harvest early this year, Sept. 4, and ended it late, Nov. 8, and now the icewine harvest is early. It’s been the longest harvest they’ve every experienced, he said.
Mission Hill had three crews picking in Oliver, Naramata and West Kelowna in the very early hours Thursday morning, but he said icewine is just a specialty wine, with grapes left on an acre here and there in the valley.
As well, Sperling Vineyards, Tantalus, Quails’ Gate and Rollingdale picked icewine grapes this week in the Central Okanagan and all hope to complete the harvest before the week is over.
jsteeves@kelownacapnews.com
