A bumper grape harvest across British Columbia is bringing both relief and new challenges for the province’s wine industry.
After several difficult growing seasons, some wineries are now dealing with an abundance of grapes, and more wine than they can typically sell.
At Back Door Winery in Summerland, B.C., owner Jesse Gill says production is far above normal levels.
“I’ve got approximately four to five times the wine that we would sell in a normal year. We’ve taken in a lot from the growers,” Gill said.
During harvest season, Back Door Winery accepted grapes from local growers to ensure their crops wouldn’t go to waste. Gill says the decision was about sharing risk during an uncertain time.
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“We decided we were going to displace their risk and take some of that risk ourselves, at least get the grapes crushed and pressed and into the tanks,” he said. “That way, it gives them a fighting chance.”
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Through the winery’s Save the Grapes initiative, Gill’s team produced a 2025 vintage using a variety of grapes. But with more than 12,000 cases now in inventory, Gill says support is needed to move that wine into the market.
“We’re asking the Ministry of Agriculture, we’re asking Wine Growers BC, we’re asking BC Grape Growers to come in and support us as we supported the growers,” he said.
Wine Growers BC says the situation is being felt industry-wide, with wineries across the province holding excess product.
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“We have a lot of wine in tanks right now,” said Wine Growers BC CEO Jeff Guignard. “We didn’t expect to have this much wine, so everyone is bursting at the seams.”
Guignard says once these vintages reach store shelves and the hospitality sector, there will be a major push to get B.C. wine into consumers’ glasses.
To help move the surplus, Wine Growers BC is calling on the provincial government to expand support for local wineries.
“We need to see a bigger, expanded B.C. wine section in B.C. Liquor Stores,” Guignard said. “Have Canadian wine really celebrated, the diversity here in B.C.”
In a statement to Global News, Minister of Agriculture and Food Lana Popham said, “BCLIQUOR is a strong supporter and advocate for B.C. wineries, stocking a wide selection of BC VQA and 100 per cent B.C. wines, and continue to support these wines and B.C. wineries through their various programs and during “Buy Local” months and campaigns.”
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