P.E.I.'s hot, dry summer creating ideal conditions for grapes

'We actually look for hot dry conditions, it's generally what we want'

Travis Kingdon · CBC News · Posted: Aug 24, 2020 6:00 AM AT | Last Updated: August 24

Wineries like to see a hot, dry summer for their grapes to ripen.

The Island has had a lot of hot, dry days and not much rain this summer, and while that's not great news for farmers, those who run wineries in the province say for them, things couldn't be better. 

"We actually look for hot, dry conditions, it's generally what we want," said Mike Newman, president and winemaker at Newman Winery. 

But, that's only one part of the recipe for an ideal growing season. In the winter, growers look for milder temperatures and some snow cover, a lot of rain in the spring to grow the vines as quickly as possible, and then heat through the summer to ripen up the grapes as fast as possible. 

"I would say this year, we're lining up perfect right now," said Newman. "It's the best I've ever seen. I would say this year I'm a bit optimistic, but there's still still a little ways to go.

"We're well ahead of schedule. I would say we're about 10 days ahead of schedule now." 

P.E.I. crops, farmers struggling with dry fields

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'That's what the vines are looking for'

Jaime Matos, owner of Matos Winery and Distillery in St. Catherines, P.E.I., has also been enjoying the warm weather.

"It's been great. Not a lot of rain, a lot of heat and sun and that's what the vines are looking for," said Matos.

Jaime Matos, owner of Matos Winery and Distillery, says the growing season for grapes this year has been ideal.

If the vines get too much rain, then they will continue to grow leaves, said Newman.  

"So you only need a certain amount of leaves to kind of, to ripen the grapes. So if you keep getting rain what will happen is you'll just get more and more leaves," he said. 

Those long periods of heat allow the grape to ripen quicker, which in a place like P.E.I. where the summer is short, is an important piece of the puzzle, said Matos. 

"We need that nice period of time to get the acid into fructose sugar," he said.

Mike Newman, president and winemaker at Newman Winery, says the winery is ahead of schedule by about 10 days because of the heat.

For Matos the heat is a welcome change, after last year's weather. 

"Lately we haven't been having this luck. You know, the summer is still short," he said. 

"Last year it was not one of the greatest years. If you ask me, it was one of the worst years," he said. 

Hopeful for a strong harvest

Both Matos and Newman said that over the next couple of weeks, they're hoping no big storms come through, and that the weather stays in their favour. If another storm like Dorian hits, the crop could suffer. 

But while it might be early to know for certain, Newman said it looks like his harvest this year will be a good one.

"It's a big harvest. Kind of walking through the rows. It's exciting but it's also, you know, it's also going to be a lot of work," he said. 

"And then on top of that, you're going to want to pick pretty much everything.  If the quality is up there, you want to make sure that you're getting every bit of wine."