Where 2024 was a year that brought BC wine producers to their knees, 2025 reminded them why they love growing and making wine in the province in the first place.
The 2025 grape harvest was described as a “miraculous recovery” with the picking season starting early and an abundance of crop despite the vineyard devastation in 2024 in the Okanagan Valley in particular.
Though a considerable number of vineyards needed to be replanted, those that managed to survive the carnage of the great freeze rebounded beyond expectations.
As wild as it might seem, many growers reported that there was actually an over abundance of fruit. That’s an incredible bounce back that is both a relief and a bit of a curse.
Across BC, grape growers described 2025 as a blessed year, with consistently warm, dry conditions allowing for above average flavour development. The harvest of white fruit began in late August, earlier than average, and the weather cooperated late through the fall. Stress-free hang time for the red grapes meant the fruit could develop rich and balanced flavours.
But harvest came on fast and furious. There were times during the picking season that temperatures were uncomfortably high. Some vineyards surpassed yield expectations leading to a surplus of fruit. Warm fall temperatures affected acidity levels in some pockets of the province.
For the most part though, most vintners are breathing a happy sigh of relief. Two difficult winters put fear in the hearts of even the firmest BC wine believers. But 2025 proved to be redemption – that decades of hard work has not been in vain. No growing region has been without significant weather blips, disasters and challenges.
BC is no different and the dream lives on.
