The Wine Knows

Roland Kruger of Wild Goose Vineyard in Okanagan Falls, British Columbia (our B.C. Winery of the Year), reports this morning that wine grape harvest could begin as soon as next week.

He and his brother, winemaker Hagen Kruger, will begin to harvest around Sept. 15. Roland reports that this has been one of the finest growing seasons in recent memory, with perfect weather conditions throughout the valley.

The Okanagan has long been known for its ice wines, but many areas of the valley (namely the Black Sage Bench in the south and the Naramata Bench near Penticton) are some of the warmest areas of the Pacific Northwest. We are seeing some superb Syrahs, Cabs and red blends coming from these regions. Thanks to better viticultural practices (including site selection) and good weather, the grape growers in the Okanagan are having few troubles getting their crops ripe.