Record early start to icewine season in Okanagan

KELOWNA — The earliest icewine harvest on record in British Columbia’s central Okanagan region should also be one of the swiftest, with most of the grapes expected to be picked in just two nights.

Winemaker Eric von Krosigk of Summerhill Pyramid Winery said successive nights of temperatures below -8 C have provided ideal conditions for picking grapes reserved for icewine production.

“It was a great night to pick. The grapes are in really good shape, without too much degradation from wind, weather or animals,” Krosigk said this week.

About 14 people harvested 14 bins of pinot blanc grapes from just under a hectare in one of Summerhill’s contract vineyards in Lake Country before sunrise Monday, taking advantage of the -11 C temperature.

Temperatures weren’t quite cold enough to harvest icewine grapes at Summerhill’s main property just south of Kelowna early Monday.

“Those two nights of cold temperatures provide a quick time frame for the harvest,” said Scott Hennenfent, general manager of the Penticton-based B.C. Wine Authority.

In some years, a one-night freeze that allows picking to begin is followed by warmer temperatures, so the harvest has to be stretched over days or weeks.

In 2014, the icewine harvest began Nov. 12, but during some mild winters it doesn’t get underway until late December or January.

Slightly warmer overnight temperatures in the south Okanagan meant the icewine harvest hasn’t begun in that part of the valley, where most of the region’s wineries are located.

Although grapes must be picked and crushed at temperatures of -8 C or colder to comply with regulations surrounding icewine production, there is no requirement for winemakers to harvest the fruit at the first blast of cold weather.

“Some winemakers leave the grapes on after the first cold snap,” Hennenfent said.

“Even if the temperatures warm up again after that, some of them believe that helps with the overall flavour of the icewine.”