History: In 1859, Oblate missionary Father Charles Pandosy planted the first vineyard at the Oblate Mission near present-day Kelowna.

Geography: The southern Okanagan Valley in the area between Oliver and the border is classified as part of the Sonora Desert, which runs south to the Baja Peninsula in Mexico.

Awards: In 1994, Mission Hill Grand Reserve Chardonnay 1992 won the Avery Trophy for “Best Chardonnay Worldwide” at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London—the first major award win of the new era of BC winemaking.

Sales: British Columbia VQA wine sales have doubled in the last six years to more than $182 million annually.

Terroir: The Okanagan Valley has five officially recognized sub-regions — Kelowna, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Golden Mile, and Black Sage/Osoyoos.


*Schreiner, John - British Columbia Wine Country, Whitecap Books Ltd., 2003

  
 
 

Pinot Noir grape vines, grown at Quails’ Gate Estate Winery in Kelowna, from late winter/early spring until harvest through all of the life stages outlined below.
Photographer Tyler Galts, Quails’ Gate Estate Winery

 

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.  

DORMANCY: With the onset of cold temperatures in November, the vines become fully dormant.
 
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