Climate change | Ontario winemakers seek solutions

(Niagara-On-The-Lake) One extremely cold day last winter was enough to cause extensive damage to Bill Redelmeier’s vineyard.

Months later, the destruction was plainly visible at Southbrook Vineyards, an organic vineyard in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

The vine shoots were growing shorter than in a typical year, and that’s when they were growing. The black nets used to protect the vines had not been unrolled in several rows deemed too damaged to be saved. Some leaves were already turning brown, while the grapes of the plants that produced fruit showed damage in consistency and color.

These are all signs of vascular damage inside the plants resulting from the mid-January cold snap – which was catastrophic not just for Mr. Redelmeier, but for grape growers in the Niagara region in the south. of Ontario.

It only takes an hour to wreak havoc, says Mr. Redelmeier.

The frost event that the winemaker says has reduced production at his winery by 75% this year, and likely by 50% next year, is an example of the extreme weather conditions faced by wine producers in the Ontario are facing in a changing climate.

These events are difficult for winegrowers to predict, he says.

“We assume that whatever is going to happen is somewhere in our memory. We now have things that come out of our experience,” he explained.

Necessary adjustments

The crop loss due to the cold spell forced adjustments for Mr. Redelmeier’s business and other vineyards in the region. With a limited amount of wine available last summer, Southbrook had to choose whether to cut sales to the LCBO – the state corporation that distributes liquor in the province – and other major retailers or to its own customers. . They decided to focus on sales to their loyal base.

Extreme cold doesn’t immediately come to mind when discussing the effects of climate change – which often focuses on temperature increases. But experts and industry stakeholders say extreme and unpredictable weather fluctuations are having a significant effect on Ontario’s wine industry and forcing producers to respond with costly course changes.

“Ontario is no different than anywhere else in the world. When we look at climate change, probably the biggest effects we’re going to see are extreme weather,” said Brock University grapevine biologist Jim Willwerth.

Climate change is challenging winemakers around the world with extreme weather conditions, ranging from hail to drought to smoke from wildfires. Cold winters are nothing new for Ontario grape growers, Willwerth said, but the low temperatures that hit last winter followed a period of relatively warmer days and an unusually wet fall season. . That means the delicate vine plants weren’t able to develop the cold tolerance they needed to survive the winter, he explained.

All farmers face increasingly extreme weather events, but Willwerth noted that grapes are particularly susceptible, as slight weather changes can affect flavor.

“Grapes could be the canary in the coal mine when it comes to climate change,” he said.

Expensive solutions

Ontario grape growers have options to mitigate extreme weather conditions, but they are costly.

Some use a technology called geotextiles, which cover vines with what is essentially a blanket to warm crops during periods of severe cold.

Others use wind turbines – a technology that warms the air around crops in extreme cold weather to protect against the most severe damage.

For Mr. Redelmeier, wind turbines are a better option for his wallet given the layout and specific needs of his vineyard.

He reckons the expensive technology maintains temperatures just above -25°C and has likely saved many plants from permanent damage that would have required them to be pulled out and replanted.

“It could have been a lot worse,” he said.

Some growers, meanwhile, face geographic challenges for available technologies.

Ed Madronich of Flat Rock Cellars in Jordan Station, Ont., west of St. Catharines, also saw crop damage during last year’s extreme cold. He plans to invest in geotextiles, because wind turbines are not an efficient option in his vineyard due to the sloping terrain.

“Climate change is definitely having an impact, and it’s costing farmers more to be able to mitigate the challenges that climate change is putting on us,” Madronich said by phone.

Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, where Willwerth and other experts conduct research relevant to the Canadian wine industry, has studied the economic impact of extreme weather on wineries across the country. Ontario. A 2014 study ran a scenario that the loss of vines due to a cold spell would lead to losses of 55.7 million for winegrowers over five years, including lost sales and the cost of renewing and replacing grapevines. vines.