2019 Wine grape fall ripening report

The fall of 2018 in Nova Scotia was cool and damp. The winter of 2018 / 2019 saw average winter temperatures, but below average insulating snowfall accumulation meant freezing temperatures were able to penetrate deeper into the soil than normal. This, along with other climatic factors, meant cool soil temperatures persisted longer than normal and the vines had a late start to the season. Summertime temperatures failed to make up for this slow start; as a result, wine grape °Brix levels heading into fall lag those observed in past years. The good news is the majority of vineyards (though not all) have managed to escape a killing frost to date and recent fall temperatures have been above average. A killing frost is an event where leaves are damaged and the vine’s ability to ripen fruit is compromised; a severe killing frost will see a complete and irreversible loss of leaf function and the plant’s ability to accumulate photosynthates, including sugars, will cease altogether. While other factors, such as insect damage, nutritional imbalances, disease, mildews and other fungi can also hamper a plant’s ability to ripen fruit in the fall, sugars continue to accumulate in vines with healthy canopies.