The long, hot summer experienced in southern Quebec this year has led to a bountiful grape crop for the province鈥檚 vintners.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fantastic: the ripeness, the sugar is there, everything is coming along fine,鈥� winemaker Pierre Cousineau told 愛污传媒 while strolling through a vineyard in rural Stanbridge East, Que.
鈥淚f we look at these grapes here,鈥� he added while handing a bunch of ripe fruit, 鈥測ou can see we鈥檝e got lots of juice, it鈥檚 sugary, it鈥檚 nice and soft.鈥�
This summer, parts of Quebec and Ontario saw twice as many days above 30 degrees Celsius than normal. And while the dry heat has been a killer for other crops, vintners like Cousineau are reaping the benefits of an early, high-quality harvest.
鈥淲hen we got this type of year, then it鈥檚 got to work really hard,鈥� he said of his grapes. 鈥淪o, it鈥檚 going to get all the minerals, all the taste of the ground.鈥�
Across the Atlantic in France鈥檚 storied Champagne wine region, where temperatures have risen by 1.2 degrees over the past 30 years, winemakers are also celebrating a bountiful, early harvest. It is their fifth early harvest in 15 years.
鈥淎 year in both quantity and quality,鈥� French winemaker Jean-Pierre Vazart explained. 鈥淎 dream harvest!鈥�
Climate change, however, has also brought more chaotic weather events, such as frequent hailstorms that can ravage grapevines. To deal with this, scientists have been planting new, sturdier varieties of grapes -- something that would have once been unthinkable in the traditional world of winemaking.
In Quebec, despite this year鈥檚 abundant and exceptional crop, Cousineau is still waiting to celebrate.
鈥淯ntil it鈥檚 in the bottle,鈥� he said, 鈥渨e鈥檒l be worried.鈥�
With a report from CTV鈥檚 Quebec Bureau Chief Genevieve Beauchemin
