The Wines - Vintage Reports

The 2001 Vintage

The growing season got off to a good start in 2001 but severe drought conditions occurred across Ontario during July and August, affecting all viticultural areas.  Older vines coped well and some irrigation was used to sustain more vulnerable plantings.  Fortunately, the fall weather was generally good and most varieties ripened well.  Sugar levels, measured by Brix readings, were average to above average for most varieties.   Harvest was a bit challenging because of significant rainfall around optimum harvest times.  Early indications for the 2001 vintage table wines are promising showing good concentration and complexity, especially in the red varieties. 

Late Harvest and Icewine

The Icewine harvest for the 2001 vintage was difficult.  The unusually warm winter led to delayed harvests and greater than usual losses to bird damage and deterioration.  In some areas, a large portion of the harvest was lost or diverted to late harvest wines that could be harvested earlier in the season. 

Total tonnage netted for Late Harvest and Icewine was estimated at 3176 tonnes and the total volume of Icewine juice registered was 364,635 litres.

The window of opportunity for Icewine harvest was limited.  The number of hours the temperature remained below –8 in the Niagara Peninsula in December, January and February ranged from approximately 40 hours in the Niagara- on-the-Lake area to 112 hours towards Grimsby.  Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island saw approximately 70 hours of potential harvest time, again far less than normal.   Picking of Icewine grapes took place on only 14 dates, approximately half of the available dates from the previous vintage. 

Yields for both the Late Harvest and Icewine categories were slightly lower than normal and early expectations are for well-concentrated wines.