Fall has arrived in the Okanagan and so has the region’s annual grape harvest.

For most wineries, the bulk of the wine grapes come in during September and October, with the grapes for each variety of wine being picked at a different time.

“Sauvignon Blanc is always among the first grapes to be harvested for our table wines, with an average pick date of September 6-9, so harvest this year is right on track,” explains Troy Osborne, Director of Viticulture at Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate.

“We are now into the reds and overall, I rate the fruit quality as high. The late reds are expressing nice flavours and soft tannins for this time of the year.”

The Okanagan’s hot spring provided an above average number of “Growing Degree Days”, contributing to early budbreak for many wineries.

While the sun and heat create intense fruit flavours in the wines, the cool nights have a big impact on wine quality preserving the natural acidity in the grapes and keeping the wines fresh and lively – a signature trait of BC wine.

Quick facts about the BC Wine Industry:

• BC is home to 929 vineyards, including more than 350 licensed wineries
• There are more than 10,499 acres (4,249 hectares) of wine grapes planted in British Columbia
• BC’s grape wine industry has grown from just 17 grape wineries in 1990 to more than 275 today
• BC’s wine industry employs about 12,000 people and has an economic impact of $2.8 billion annually
• Each year, BC’s wineries welcome more than 1,000,000 visitors