Amidst fears that a recent cold snap could have a devastating effect on Ontario's wine grapes, a vintner is optimistic that the plants will make a comeback.
John Rode, a vintner in Prince Edward County, near Trenton Ont., where Environment Canada says temperatures dipped to record lows on May 22 and 23, says wine grapes are resilient.
"With every passing day we have more heat, more sun, a little bit of gentle rain," he told CTV News Channel on Wednesday. "A lot of these vines are making a comeback."
Rode was one of many winemakers who resorted to drastic measures when the cold conditions struck over the weekend.
Rode set fire to 30 bales of hay in an attempt to prevent frost from settling on his grapes at Harwood Estate Vineyards. On reflection, Rode says he should have lit 60 on fire.
Others went even further.
"It can get pretty crazy. We had a friend in Niagara who rented a helicopter," Rode said. "That forces warmer air down from above, and also the exhaust from the helicopter is fairly warm and it gets a big breeze going through the vineyard."
Rode estimates his vineyard lost up to 30 per cent of their harvest, but cautions that it is too soon to calculate the impact province wide.
In the meantime, anyone looking for a bottle of Ontario wine won't notice an effect on store shelves anytime soon. The grapes growing now will be harvested in October, for wines that should be for sale in 2016.
