Carp winery among many in eastern Ontario affected by late-season frost

Kin Vineyards in Carp is one of many wineries in eastern Ontario to lose crops after a late frost last week, but its winemaker says the team is charging forward.

Brian Hamilton says they lost upwards of 25 per cent of their Chardonnay vine shoots, but with 75 per cent of their crops still in tact, it shouldn't affect the price of a bottle. 

“Even in hard years, we're still going to make good wine, we might make less, but you can kind of assume that the prices are going to be the same,” he says.

Hamilton says they still have a lot of supplies left from last year, so they won't see much impact from crop losses this season.

The key is to be prepared to ensure they produce as close to 100 per cent as possible in 2022. 

“Our goal at this point is to maximize the fruit we can get,” Hamilton says. “For the block that was affected, we'll just provide nutrients for the soil.”

The winemaker says other wineries in the region are reporting significant losses as a result of the frost.