Washington Grapes for the 2024 BC Vintage?

September 23, 2024

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Background

B.C. wineries were severely impacted by a devastating January 2024 extreme cold event that decimated the 2024 Okanagan and Similkameen Valley wine grape crop. Industry estimates that the January 2024 event caused a 90% crop loss, and 15% of grapevines were destroyed. The province previously announced a $26 million vine replant program and $92.6 million through the Production Insurance and AgriStability program.

The Province of British Columbia announced that BC wineries can now produce BC wines with imported wine grapes and grape juice for the 2024 BC vintage. The temporary support will be effective from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, allowing for a 12-month sales period.

The temporary support will allow wineries to import wine grapes and juice to produce a 2024 vintage. While this will enable a 2024 BC-produced vintage, any wine produced using imported grapes or juice will not be eligible to carry the BC Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) label. BC wineries will rework labels to ensure transparency and compliance with federal labelling regulations to reflect which wines are produced from imported grapes and juice.

With this background, here is a summary, grouped by sub-region, of where many Okanagan and Similkameen wineries will be sourcing grapes for the 2024 vintage.

Oliver and Osoyoos Wineries

Hester Creek Estate Winery

Since early spring, Hester Creek’s Mark Sheridan has dealt with a grower in Washington’s prized Red Mountain viticultural area.

We had a contract in place and they were holding the grapes for us. I have been down their multiple times and have had input into how they grow the grapes. We have our own section of their vineyard that they have allocated to us. I have full input as to how they are growing the grapes on that section. All the viticultural inputs are being directed by myself.” He plans to bring in about 850 tons of grapes, all of which will be processed at Hester Creek by its winemaking team.

“The reason we chose Washington State is because, for the wine we want to make from these grapes stylistically, that was the closest fit to the style of grapes we would grow here. We will have a series of wines that we make from Washington State grapes. We will be clearly labelling them as Columbia Valley. We polled a lot of our customers, and our customers have clearly told us they have faith in the Hester Creek brand; and they will support that brand, even if it is from Washington State, because they know the reason why we are doing this. We need to have wine to sell so that we can be economically viable.”2 Mark Sherman

Winemaker’s CUT

Photo Credit – Winemaker’s CUT

“Exciting news from our winery! Due to unexpected climate events in Okanagan, our 2024 vintage will be sourced from the beautiful Yakima Valley in Washington State! We’ve been looking all year and discovered some amazing cooler sites that will help us maintain the same high-quality wine style that you know and love.

We’re already halfway through the process and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results so far. From Syrah to Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc to Tempranillo, and everything in between – Yakima Valley is proving to be a fantastic choice for our 2024 vintage.

Keep an eye out for our Elephant Mountain-inspired wines, as well as our signature GSM blends, Gruner Veltliner, Rousanne Marsanne, and Dolcetto.” Michal Mosny

Kaladen / Okanagan Falls

Black Market Wine Co.

Photo Credit Black Market Wine Co.
Coyote Canyon Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills AVA, Washington

“Despite losing our grape crop in all of our vineyards this season, we are pushing ahead with the harvest. We have made some great connections with amazing growers down in Washington State, and are really excited to be working with super premium grapes. We travelled down south last weekend to meet with the farmers and walk the vineyards. Our approach this year is to take advantage of the breadth of varietals grown in southeast Washington state, and to work with grapes we wouldn’t normally have access to up here in the Okanagan. Harvest is just days away from starting and we couldn’t be more excited…it’s going to be a fun one! ” Rob Hammersley3

Noble Ridge Winery

Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery

We recently visited Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery for a family picnic. The estate vineyard has recovered beautifully from the winter cold snap, and vine loss was minimal. Unfortunately, the 2024 crop size was so small that no 2024 vintage is planned, but the winery has plenty of wine for sale.

Blue Mountain Winery

Photo: Blue Mountain vineyard near Okanagan Falls

Followers of Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars hardly need a reminder to stock up on the current releases while they are available. Like other Okanagan producers, Blue Mountain suffered major vineyard damage during last January’s freeze. “All of our vineyards were impacted, with some bud damage, but fortunately, they are thriving this season,” writes Christie Mavety, a family member that owns Blue Mountain. “We expect to harvest a very small crop and will produce less than 4,500 liters this vintage.”4

“I am not surprised that the Mavety family is not importing grapes. In the winery’s entire history, its wines have been made with grapes from the Okanagan Falls estate that they have managed since 1972. Blue Mountain has won a strong reputation for top quality wines with unimpeachable authenticity. It would have been unwise to tamper with that.” John Schreiner

Naramata

La Frenz Winery

Photo Credit – La Frenz Winery
Muscat grapes were hand-harvested from Washinton State, straight from the truck to the press.

“As we enter into our 25th harvest at LA FRENZ, we can only reflect on what a bittersweet year it has been. The cold of January 2024 impacted the BC wine industry beyond anyone’s imagination. Our estate vineyards are thankfully all alive but will only produce an estimated crop of 15% of a typical year. We feel fortunate that we are in a position to make a small amount of wines from our own BC grapes but after many discussions of what was best for our team and LA FRENZ, it was clear that our 2024 harvest needed to be supplemented.

After careful consideration we have decided to import a small amount of Muscat, Viognier and Roussanne from Washington. This decision was not made lightly as we are proudly 100% estate grown and are committed to returning to that designation in 2025. However, we are excited for the opportunity to work with premium Washington grapes. Our winemaker, Ross Baker, has visited multiple times to meet growers and select small lot, top quality sites that he feels will produce wines that will sit comfortably alongside our current offerings.

All wines produced from Washington grapes will be clearly labelled as such and bottled separately from our BC wines.” Elise Martin, Operations Manager

Lake Country

Arrowleaf Cellars

Photo Credit – Arrowleaf Cellars – Zweigelt

“First grapes of the season are coming in. There’s not much but the vines have tried their best and so will we!” Hannah Assistant Winemaker

When we visited the winery in September, they also expected to harvest Riesling from the estate vineyard, but they had no plans to import grapes.

Similkameen Valley

Orofino Winery

“Given the lack of Similkameen grapes in our vineyards for vintage 2024, we looked south to our neighbours in Washington. We put our boots on and walked through some vineyards to find the right fit for this extraordinary crush. These magical vineyards have allowed us to produce different wines in 2024 from different varietals than we have ever crushed before. It’s going to be interesting, fun and tasty.”5

Photo Credit – Orofino Winery

“We have contracted some Marsanne and Roussanne grapes from a vineyard in the Ancient Lakes AVA, just a three-and-a-half-hour drive south of the winery. The AVA is set high above the Columbia River and is known for its cooler sites, and white grapes dominate the region. This is rare in Washington State. 40 year old Chemin Blanc vines are also rare a we are so privileged to have the opportunity make wine from a special block of these vines. The easiest “yes” of the search, and I am so excited to make wine from this special vineyard.”

Photo Credit – Orofino Winery

“The fourth varietal we found was Cinsault – a classic Provencal variety responsible for their beloved Rosé wines. We have contracted a one-acre block from the Naches Heights AVA west of Yakima. Perhaps one of the most unique and beautiful vineyards I have ever been in. It is magic. At 1900 feet it is one of the highest vineyards in Washington, meaning harsh soil, cool climate and concentrated grapes. Phil Cline operates this vineyard and he is responsible for pioneering and developing this AVA. To hear him speak of the 1.5 million year lava flow that created this high elevation AVA, is a masterclass in geology, geography with a touch of old soul hippy mysticism.”