Grape and wine experts expect a strong Ontario harvest

With harvest underway in Niagara, experts from Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) say the region is headed for a good crop despite the summer’s extreme heat and lack of rain.

“It looks like it is going to be an example of quality over quantity,” says CCOVI researcher and associate professor Jim Willwerth.

A damp spring combined with current moderate daytime highs and cooler evenings are helping to mitigate worries caused by the hot and dry summer conditions, says Willwerth, whose expertise includes soil, water and plant interactions.

“I don’t think it will be a short crop year, just some reduced yields when comparing to other years, especially for those growers without irrigation,” he says, adding that a smaller yield due to smaller berries on the vine traditionally means more concentrated and desirable flavours in the grapes.