2018/2019 Nova Scotia Wine Grape Bud Hardiness Report no. 1: October 29 – 30

A wine grape bud hardiness report is generated and distributed to the Grape Growers of Nova Scotia (GGANS) membership on a bi-weekly basis throughout the dormant season. The bi-weekly survey is performed on 3 vinifera cultivars (‘Chardonnay’, ‘Riesling’, ‘Pinot Noir’) and 2 hybrid cultivars (‘L’Acadie Blanc’, ‘Marquette’) and involves 10 grower collaborators for a total of 23 varietal blocks in total. Each report uses a table to show the latest low temperature exotherm (LTE) levels for the present and past weeks. The report also includes comments highlighting observations over the last reporting period, a plot showing the change in LTE values throughout the season, the historical 100 year minimum values and the present year’s minimum values. Three times throughout the season (early, middle, late) 11 “extra” varieties (‘Baco Noir’, ‘Chenin Blanc’, ‘Geisenheim’, ‘Leon Millot’, ‘Lucie Kuhlman’, ‘New York Muscat’, ‘Pinot Gris’, ‘Sauvignon Blanc’, ‘Seyval Blanc’, ‘Seyval Blanc’, ‘Vidal Blanc’, ‘Ortega’) from 22 additional varietal blocks are also reported.

In the final week of October, we began our third year of the Nova Scotia Grape Bud Hardiness Survey. To increase our coverage of varieties grown in Nova Scotia we have added the variety ‘Marquette’, which we anticipate will have some interesting overwintering characteristics. As we did last year, we will be running the survey every 2 weeks until April 2019 and getting the data to industry as soon as it is processed. As can be seen in the table, all varieties have begun to acclimate in preparation for winter. At this time, the hardiness of all varieties sampled exceeds any observed temperatures recorded in the Annapolis Valley or South Shore.