The sudden arrival of cold weather in November meant a bit of a crunch for wine producers looking to protect delicate vines over the winter. The early chill capped off an excellent season for local wine makers, who reveled in this summer’s hot and dry conditions.
“It was the ideal season for us,” said Normand Guénette, who co-owns the Chat Botté vineyard and winery in Hemmingford with his partner, Isabelle Ricard. The roots of most grape vines run deep enough they rarely suffer from drought, and the lack of rain meant very little disease spread through the plantation.
The arid conditions were somewhat like areas in California, Australia, or even the south of France where some of the world’s finest wines are produced. “It gave us berries that were a little smaller but more concentrated in aromas,” Guénette explained. “Usually in a year like this, it’s a very nice vintage.”
This past year was also good for sales for most area wine producers. In fact, sales of Quebec wines at the Société des Alcools du Québec (SAQ) jumped by nearly 50 per cent between April and August, as consumers were forced to explore more local options after U.S. wines were pulled from the shelves as part of the trade war.
“It helped everybody,” said Guénette, who admits they have not benefitted as much from the boom at the SAQ because they have already sold out of most of their wines. “The tariffs that were imposed by the U.S. have allowed us to showcase our products to a lot of people,” he acknowledged, noting visits to the store at the vineyard were up by about 25 per cent.
Reports suggest the increased demand for local wines will drive Quebec production. “I think we have a bright future. A lot of people planted vines during COVID,” said Guénette, noting the projections for the coming years suggest the industry could double from around 4.5 million bottles produced this year to over seven million by 2030.
Guénette attributes some of this growth to improvements in the quality of Quebec wines over the past decade, but he suggests there is something different about this surge in local demand compared to the buy-local movement that spiked during the pandemic. “During COVID it was more of a necessity. Right now, it is more of a choice,” he explained, before noting that wine producers are very aware that American bottles will eventually return to the SAQ. The hope is that by the time shelves are restocked, consumers will have been convinced that Quebec wines are just as good.
“We just hope the SAQ does not reduce the space completely like before, but gives us an increased space in stores to make sure that we can keep supplying the market and the demand,” said Guénette.
Cold weather not a problem
In the meantime, Guénette plans to continue growing his vineyard, which has doubled in size from three to six hectares and now includes around 22,000 vines. He began converting his vineyard to organic production in 2020 and was certified by 2023.
The hardy varieties of grapes needed to survive Quebec winters without protection are especially good for organic viticulture, as they are less disease-prone than more delicate varieties like Chardonnay or Syrah. “It is more the European varieties that are a challenge when growing organic,” said Guénette; these vines require more care as they are prone to disease.
“We have to spray more regularly. We have to keep the weeds really clean under the vines to make sure there is no humidity close to the grapes,” he explained. “Without any herbicides, you have to weed mechanically. It takes a lot more time, but in the end, it is more responsible toward the environment.”
The hardy vines are tolerant to around minus 30 degrees. The plants will survive colder weather, but around half the buds will die at this temperature. Grape vines have a central primary bud that produces the biggest clusters of grapes. Secondary buds will produce smaller clusters while the tertiary bud guarantees the plant’s survival. A cold snap could mean that vines will produce fewer grapes.
It’s rare that temperatures dip that low; however, Guénette has started protecting some of his hardier varieties with geotextile tarps, just in case. They begin pruning the hardier varieties in mid-March and remove the covers in early April to ensure they are finished before the vines begin to bud.
Guénette is not worried about reports of a colder winter and will enjoy a little time to relax over the holidays with a glass of wine. Those looking for a nice addition to a holiday spread this festive season may find are a few bottles remaining on SAQ shelves. The winery is also open by appointment while supplies last.