— But growers cautioned about vineyard business risks —

(OSOYOOS TIMES — May 9, 2007) —

By Julie TurnerrnOsoyoos Times

This year's president of the BC Grapegrowers Association (BCGA) “ Osoyoos grower Manfred Freese “ says there is room for expansion in the region's vineyards but adds viticulture is not an easy road.
Freese is the newly-elected BCGA president and owns Sun Ridge Vineyard “ a five-acre vineyard planted in Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes on the east bench overlooking Osoyoos Lake.
The property had previously been planted in prune plums and had been owned by Alfred and Suzie Gruhl.
Freese originally hails from Germany and has been growing grapes in Osoyoos since 2000, having moved here from Vancouver that spring. In 1996 he retired from Karl Zeiss Canada Ltd., in Toronto, where he worked for 20 years in a research lab designing diagnostic equipment; and for 10 years before that he was a research scientist with the federal government's Department of Fisheries.
Although owning and operating a vineyard seems a far cry from his last 30 years in research and development, Freese says he's returning to his roots. The first eight years of his life were spent in farm country in northern Germany, where the farming ranged from livestock to fruit growing to market gardening.
I think something stayed in his blood, he muses.
It's also something I share with my wife, Barbara, who loves gardening. We have always enjoyed gardening and being outdoors.rnHe says he's always been interested in the wine industry, and after three years of retirement (Barbara is a retired adult education teacher) he grew restless and began looking for something they would both enjoy.
I have had a lifelong interest in wine, as a consumer, he laughs, adding the wine industry is a hobby where you can enjoy the fruits of your labour. There are a lot of independent growers who enjoy this lifestyle.rnThe Freeses planted their first grapes in 2000; this year he says, We're in our eighth leaf. He adds they were one of the earlier grape growers in Osoyoos, but by no means the first.
Their decision to grow Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon came after looking at the directions the market was headed and the fact their site is ideal for growing reds. Freese also enjoys making wine “ and has planted some Pinot Gris and Chardonnay for his own 'private reserve' “ but the red grapes are sold to Church and State, a small winery in Victoria.
When asked whether he feels there is a danger of too many orchards converting to vineyards and saturating the market, Freese says he gets that question all the time.
I think there is plenty of room for expansion. We're still a small vineyard region and market. But I am concerned that a lot of people don't realize there are risks, he explains.
If we have a protracted period of strong frost it could wipe out some of the more sensitive vines. The frost we had in November did affect some new plantings. It takes four to five years to get into full production and the idea one can lose an entire crop because of bad weather is something potential growers have to consider.
Freese adds not all orchard lands are good for grape growing and some grapes are being planted in questionable areas. The right soil and sunlight conditions are crucial.
Freese says the valley is at the extreme northern end of the grape growing region, and the reason the industry has done so well is due to the type of grapes grown here and improvements in winemaking technology.
In February 2006, it was estimated that province-wide there were approximately 6,000 acres of vineyards planted.
Freese says last year another 800 acres were planted, with another 750 acres anticipated for 2007.
He says researchers are now looking at the possibility of expanding grape growing into new areas in B.C. with similar micro-climates “ such as Lytton, Lillooet and Kamloops.
Although weather remains the main risk to any farming enterprise, pests are also a concern. He says the industry experienced a bit of a hiccup due to import problems after the Bois noir disease was discovered in a local vineyard. The disease was caught early and contained, but Freese says it pointed to the need for more controls on imported vines.
Our association is on record as favouring hot water treatment which is now being used to kill the organism responsible for Bois noir and a similar disease called Flavescence dorée.
He says people in the industry are now more secure but the ultimate goal is to develop and grow the region's own varietals.
As BCGA president, Freese says he looks forward to further growth of the industry and wants to bring greater value to the membership by collaborating with other groups to expand the industry.