British Columbia devastated by frost

Canada’s British Columbia wine region was wiped out by a severe frost on the 13th January decimating the 2024 harvest and to manage the loss of production, grapes from Washington State in the US are to be sold to BC winemakers. The frost on the 13th January 2024 recorded temperatures as low as -30 °C.

With an oversupply in Washington and very little regulations over the movement of grapes between Washington and BC, supplying significant volumes of grapes is a win-win for both regions.

Most of Washington's fruit is produced in Columbia and Yakima Valley AVAs, located further north of Pinot Noir producing Oregon. Both Columbia and Yakima are both in the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains where the climate is continental and can ripen a range of grapes, including the warm loving Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Zinfandel as well as the cooler climate Pinot Noir and Gewürztraminer.