Icewine Harvest in Niagara
Some didn't think it was going to happen....but Mother Nature threw us a snowy curveball this weekend and coupled with a classic Canadian cold front, this turned out to be just what the winemaker ordered. Perfect conditions for an Icewine Harvest.
06:00 I Arrived at NTCWinery, temp at this point was only -4.5°C but we knew it would continue to drop. Originally the plan was to pick from 01:00 to 06:00 Saturday morning, but because of the delay in temperature drop, plans were changed last minute. When it comes to Icewine harvest, you work on Mother Natures schedule. This means being on call all winter, ready to pick when a deep freeze comes around, and as this winter has proven, sometimes those opportunities are few and far between.
Everyone slowly began to arrive from the darkness and at 07:00 the temp was almost at -8°C, we took a sample and measured 33°Bx. We were sent out to pick grapes for Special Select Late Harvest and within the hour daylight was upon us. The most challenging part for myself at this point was getting the tiny plastic clamps off the bottom of the netting. We were encouraged to pinch them apart rather then cut them with our pruners, to avoid ripping the netting so it can be reused for next harvest. After only an hour my wrists began to hurt from constantly gripping the plastic clamps and using my pruner, I'm definitely going to have to work on that before the spring! Finally at 08:30 we all went in for a break to warm up and have some coffee and hot soup. This was exactly what I needed to refuel and get back out there.
09:00 we are back in the game! Finishing up some Pinot and then moving on to the Vidal vines. The Vidal grapes we harvested will be made into college Icewine and even though they are the most winter hardy, they seem to be much easier to harvest then the others. One other thing I began to notice was the rapid decline in crew members as the day moved forward, but those who could stuck it out!
When you are out there it does feel rewarding knowing you play a large role in the never ending Icewine making process because reality is, these grapes have been gearing up for this moment since bud break last May and the job is only half way done. Once the buckets of grapes are gathered they are pressed right away, then the winemaking process begins!
We had fun all the way to the last row and even though some were quite cold, especially those who showed up un denim (lol) we made it through. We finished at 12:30 and everyone was ready for a hot shower! I am sure I can speak for us all when I say it was a pleasure to be apart of an Icewine Harvest, after all it doesn't get more Canadian then that. Cheers to everyone who came out!
For those of you who have never participated in an Icewine harvest before, it is no easy job. Here is the break down:
- The grapes are still on the vine and typically cover in netting to keep birds away. It must be at least -8°C for harvest and depending on the type of wine you want to make, the juice from the grapes is required to hold a minimum % of sugar, which is measured in °Bx. For example: Icewine must be 35°Bx, Special Select Late Harvest 30°Bx, Select Late Harvest 26°Bx.
- After a sample is pressed from the grapes and the °Bx is measured and you can determine if the grapes are ready, or what style of wine you can attain from the harvest. The crew is then sent out to hand harvest every last bunch. Because the grapes at this point are so concentrated the yield is extremely low, just incase you ever wondered why the bottle is so small and so expensive.
06:00 I Arrived at NTCWinery, temp at this point was only -4.5°C but we knew it would continue to drop. Originally the plan was to pick from 01:00 to 06:00 Saturday morning, but because of the delay in temperature drop, plans were changed last minute. When it comes to Icewine harvest, you work on Mother Natures schedule. This means being on call all winter, ready to pick when a deep freeze comes around, and as this winter has proven, sometimes those opportunities are few and far between.
Everyone slowly began to arrive from the darkness and at 07:00 the temp was almost at -8°C, we took a sample and measured 33°Bx. We were sent out to pick grapes for Special Select Late Harvest and within the hour daylight was upon us. The most challenging part for myself at this point was getting the tiny plastic clamps off the bottom of the netting. We were encouraged to pinch them apart rather then cut them with our pruners, to avoid ripping the netting so it can be reused for next harvest. After only an hour my wrists began to hurt from constantly gripping the plastic clamps and using my pruner, I'm definitely going to have to work on that before the spring! Finally at 08:30 we all went in for a break to warm up and have some coffee and hot soup. This was exactly what I needed to refuel and get back out there.
09:00 we are back in the game! Finishing up some Pinot and then moving on to the Vidal vines. The Vidal grapes we harvested will be made into college Icewine and even though they are the most winter hardy, they seem to be much easier to harvest then the others. One other thing I began to notice was the rapid decline in crew members as the day moved forward, but those who could stuck it out!
We also had a few loyal Canine team Members: Spotty and Lola!
When you are out there it does feel rewarding knowing you play a large role in the never ending Icewine making process because reality is, these grapes have been gearing up for this moment since bud break last May and the job is only half way done. Once the buckets of grapes are gathered they are pressed right away, then the winemaking process begins!
We had fun all the way to the last row and even though some were quite cold, especially those who showed up un denim (lol) we made it through. We finished at 12:30 and everyone was ready for a hot shower! I am sure I can speak for us all when I say it was a pleasure to be apart of an Icewine Harvest, after all it doesn't get more Canadian then that. Cheers to everyone who came out!
Niagara College Teaching Winery Icewine Harvest 2012!
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