One of the takeaways from the report is that two of my favourite varietals, Pinot Noir and Riesling are gaining in popularity with BC winemakers and BC wine drinkers.
The top 5 varieties comprise 55% of B.C. acreage. Merlot is the most planted variety in BC, with Pinot Noir moving past Pinot Gris as the second most planted. Cabernet Franc has replaced Gewürztraminer at 6th place, with Riesling surpassing Syrah at 8th position.
Here are two graphs that show the changes in wine grape acreage from 2008 to 2019.
Change in BC White Wine Acreage
Change in BC Red Wine Acreage
It should be noted that although there were only 20% more acres of Merlot planted than Pinot Noir in 2019, more than twice as many tons of Merlot were produced1. This is due to the higher yield of Merlot vines.
Here is the graphical representation of the relative $ Value of the major grape varieties in 2019.
“The development of the 2019 B.C. Wine Grape Acreage Report supports Wine BC 2030 goals and aligns with Wine Growers British Columbia’s annual operational plan objectives to provide all B.C. wineries and grape growers with access to accurate provincial acreage figures by region and variety,”
We’re incredibly grateful for the collaborative efforts of the B.C. wine associations on this important initiative and especially thank the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, for their support of this project.”
WGBC president and CEO Miles Prodan
Results Summary
There are 11,086 acres of wine grapes in British Columbia. 53.1% Red Grapes / 46.9% White Grapes. 97.5% Vinifera / 2.5% Hybrid. The top 10 Varieties in order of acres are:
- Merlot
- Pinot Noir
- Pinot Gris
- Chardonnay
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cabernet Franc
- Gewürztraminer
- Riesling
- Syrah
- Sauvignon Blanc
BC Vineyards and Wine Grape acreage by Major Region 2019
BC Wine Industry comparison to other North American Growing Regions
