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N.S. icewine harvest predicted for January

December 21, 2011, Halifax, NS – Due to warm weather and
the long-range weather forecast, John Warner of Warner Vineyards predicts that
this year’s icewine harvest should take place around January 4, 2012.

December 21, 2011, Halifax, NS – Due to warm weather and
the long-range weather forecast, John Warner of Warner Vineyards predicts that
this year’s icewine harvest should take place around January 4, 2012.

“Over
the past 15 years of harvests, no two years have been alike,” says Warner. “We
are not getting the cold weather snaps in early December like we used to,
therefore we run the risk of grapes being eaten by birds, snow storms hitting
and having to shovel the grapes out – the earlier the harvest, the easier it
is.” 

Icewine
grapes in Nova Scotia have typically been harvested during the Christmas
holidays. If the conditions are right, it will take one long night to harvest
the 20 to 25 tonnes of grapes at Warner Vineyards. It will take longer if there
is snow covering the vines.

“Last
year was the longest year ever,” says Warner. “We held the grapes on the vine
until January 15. We know they can hang, it’s just a waiting game now.”

Warner
Vineyards is located in Lakeville, in the Annapolis Valley. Of his 50 acres,
Warner has five acres dedicated to icewine grapes this year and he is the
largest grower of icewine grapes in the province. The Vidal, Ortega and Muscat
grapes from Warner’s vineyard, sold to local wineries, should produce about
4,000 litres of Nova Scotia icewine.