By Joel Barde, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Sun Peaks Independent B次元官网网址

Despite challenges associated with COVID-19, Kamloops wineries appear to be thriving.

B次元官网网址淭he Kamloops Wine Trail wineries had record breaking summers,B次元官网网址� said Trish Morelli, executive director of the Kamloops Wine Trail.

Morelli said this positive experience owed to pivoted marketing campaigns, innovation on the part of wineries, and a desire among British Columbians to support local businesses.

Morelli said sales were up 12 per cent between January and August this year compared to last, and that direct-to-consumer sales were up 61 per cent for July and August, which is effectively the height of the wine tourism season.

Morelli said while early on in the pandemic there was panic among local wineries at what the future had in store, they were able to quickly transition.

Like other establishments, before reopening in late April they installed signage to ensure proper social distancing and instituted new measures to restrict the spread of the virus.

Morelli said they operated at around half of normal capacity.

With more one-on-one time with winemakers, the public seemed to have enjoyed the experience.

B次元官网网址淧eople were generally actually having better experiences,B次元官网网址� said Morelli.

Morelli added the wineries owe their success to the support they received from Kamloops area residents.

B次元官网网址淭he local support was out of this world.B次元官网网址�

She added the positive experience in the Kamloops region isnB次元官网网址檛 necessarily indicative of the industry at large, with the pandemic having a B次元官网网址渉orrificB次元官网网址� impact on some wineries that werenB次元官网网址檛 able to open this summer.

The challenges facing the industry were captured in an August survey of winemakers published by the B.C. Wine Institute, a body that represents B.C. wineries.

While liquor sales have increased across the board, this hasnB次元官网网址檛 been the case for B.C. wines, explained Miles Prodan, president and chief executive officer of the BCWI.

Much of the increased sales of wine have been for cheaper wines made out of the country rather than B.C.-made wines, he said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 impossible for the provinceB次元官网网址檚 small producers to compete with the low price point of `bag-in-a-boxB次元官网网址� producers,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淥ther farms around the world have acres and acres of mechanically produced .125fields.375, and they can .125rely on to.375 get that cost down,B次元官网网址� said Prodan.

Prodan said B.C. wineries have had to transition quickly to new COVID-19 restrictions. That said, Prodan said that some numbers are in fact up, and some wineries are doing well.

B次元官网网址淚 think anecdotally, what weB次元官网网址檙e seeing is that the quantity of people was down, but the quality of purchases was up,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o weB次元官网网址檙e thinking that not as many people visited, but hopefully as much wine was purchased in the end, because .125guests.375 got a chance to really experience it with that reservation time.B次元官网网址�

In August, the BCWI engaged a market research and analytics company, Leger Marketing, to conduct an industry-wide survey to help understand and assess the impact of COVID-19 on the B.C. wine industry.

It found that one in 10 B.C. wineries and grape growers reported being at risk of closing due to COVID-19, with 58 per cent seeing a loss in revenue and 55 per cent having reduced access to customers.

Prodan said thankfully the industry has been experiencing somewhat of a recovery since then. The institute plans on commissioning a new survey in November once the provinceB次元官网网址檚 grapes are fully collected.

B次元官网网址淎necdotally, we know that visitors came to wine country and did stop at wineries to visit and buy wine, so weB次元官网网址檙e hoping itB次元官网网址檚 not as bad as what they were thinking,B次元官网网址� said Prodan. B次元官网网址淏ut weB次元官网网址檒l wait till the end of this harvest to see when we go back and redo the survey.B次元官网网址�

Prodan added many of the issues related to the wine industry resulted from challenges with distribution, as restaurants and wineries closed for an extended period of time it impacted the ability of wineries to get their product out.

With provincial health orders already tightening up on restaurants and bars again this fall, itB次元官网网址檚 imperative that the support of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 local wine industry and related businesses continues, he said.

Prodan recommended purchasing wines with the BC Vintners Quality Alliance (BC VQA), which means that it was produced in British Columbia.

B次元官网网址淭he end value product is a beautiful bottle of wine, but itB次元官网网址檚 the same dirt and hard, Mother Nature effective process that every farmer goes through. So buying a BC VQA wine not only ensures you have a quality product, but youB次元官网网址檙e also supporting agriculture and buying locally here in the province,B次元官网网址� he said.