CRISIS FOR B.C. WINE INDUSTRY OFFERS CHANCE FOR IMPROVEMENT
Is the latest deep freeze a disaster or an opportunity for the B.C. wine industry? Time will tell. I think it's an opportunity to reset a fractured sector to another level, one few considered possible in 1990 when the move to landbased wineries began in earnest. But it won't be easy.
The question is, will there be any crop to speak of this year, and more importantly, will the vines have survived sufficiently to produce fruit next year?
Once the ultimate damage is ascertained, producers will face several decisions. But before we get there, the rhythm of grape growing and winemaking is always out of sync with the current calendar. Wineries have lots of bottled wine and will open for business as usual, no matter what happens in the vineyards.
Everyone is gearing up to release their 2022 reds and late-release 2021s and 2020s labels. The star of those three vintages looks to be 2022, a high-quality year with a huge crop, so there is plenty of quality wine to sell at all price points. Most producers will be open for business and back to regular hours Easter weekend and should stay that way, at least through Thanksgiving, and all of them will be more than happy to see you at their doors.
At the time of writing, the government has promised legislative changes that will remove some irritating regulations that have long handcuffed wineries wanting to up their on-site experience. Where and how you can taste wine on the winery grounds will be overhauled, allowing wineries to offer experiences commensurate with the quality of their wines.
Hang on to your hats for the following: People will be allowed to sit and enjoy a glass of wine during a tour; sales could happen in more than one place on-site, including on tours; there will be more flexible tasting opportunities so producers can customize experiences, and — wait for it — they will be able to sell their products in picnic areas to host people more effectively throughout the property.
Now to those opportunities. Behind the scenes, wineries will have much to consider by the summer. Should the crop vanish in 2024, a decision tree will be drawn up for each winery, and I want to emphasize that it will likely be different for every producer in the province. A few think that they can withstand a oneyear hit with the bountiful 2022 crop with some help from older back vintages stored away in the longer-term cellaring program.
Many will be forced to reluctantly curtail off-site sales, saving those bottles for wine club members, online sales or for direct purchase at the winery, essentially keeping everything in-house to sell directly to maximize income. The risk of losing a spot on restaurant wine lists or private retail shelves would be hard to take but even more challenging to win back.
Many small land-based producers without grapes could consider a licence change to become a “commercial” winery, allowing them to purchase grapes from outside B.C. or Canada to continue operating until the vines begin to produce again.
Maintaining staff and expertise is at the top of everyone's mind, as is keeping the doors open.
How consumers react to that scenario is a big unknown. Part of me would love to see what B.C. producers could do with nearby grapes in Washington state or Oregon as long as the label clearly stated what was in the bottle.
Part of me worries about how we could enforce the integrity of every label to ensure the long-term health of Brand B.C. It could force a much-needed and immediate upgrade in label accountability by auditing all fruit and juice entering B.C. by truck, train or bottle.
Ultimately, wine has always been about place. While some bad actors may try to obscure that notion on their labels, the majority of B.C. wineries would likely be fine letting you know the wine you drink under their brand name might be from Washington state, Oregon or Ontario for a set period if it allows them to stay in business, along with countless other businesses tied to wine production.
These are some of the big ideas circulating in B.C. wine country. Most evoke more questions than answers; they will all be hard decisions with no single solution.
But rest assured, wineries want to hear more from you because, in the end, without your support, they won't survive. The next few months are your chance to express your opinion about any of the contemplated changes; it's a rare opportunity to be part of the solution.