British Columbia has five Distinct Viticultural Areas, each with unique climates and soils. There are variations in viticultural practices in different areas, so what follows is a generalization of practice in the province.

PRUNING: Pruning generally takes place in the winter or early spring. On frost prone sites, growers tend to delay pruning in order to delay budbreak. In other areas and with certain varieties such as Merlot, growers tend to prune earlier so as to advance the ultimate harvest date.

BUDBURST: Normally takes place in late April, depending on the variety. This is when spring frosts pose the greatest risk. Frost is combated using overhead sprinklers and frost fans.

FLOWERING: Generally takes place in June. This is a critical time for determining the likely yield of the crop.

SHOOT POSITIONING: Certain late ripening varieties and super-premium fruit are shoot-positioned and crop-thinned to advance maturity and the ultimate harvest date.

VERAISON: Generally takes place in August as the baby grapes change from the hard, green state to their softened, colored form. During veraision, the skins soften, sugars and size increase and acidity decreases.

GREEN HARVESTING: For the best-quality fruit, a green harvest takes place in order to modify the yield to suit the year’s climatic conditions, with the objective of improving quality, flavour uniformity and advancing ripeness.
  
HARVESTING: The majority of vineyards are harvested by hand although there are some machine harvesters operating in the Okanagan Valley. Harvesting starts with whites in early- to mid-September and can continue until early November. There is considerable frost risk towards the end of harvest.