Final Report

Grape production has occurred in gardens throughout the Lillooet-Lytton area for many years. The first known attempt to evaluate different grape varieties for commercial use occurred in the mid 1960s’ in a small trial planting at Riverland Irrigated Farms, a BC Hydro demonstration farm, in Lillooet. The planting was severely damaged by the 1968-69 winter but no records of that trial planting have been found.  Shortly after 1969 the demonstration farm was closed. By approximately 1972 the former farm manager, Robert Roshard planted 6 rows of the Foch variety at his home along the Fraser River.  These grapes have grown and have produce fruit for home winemaking at this site uninterrupted since that time.

The region appeared to have a climate favorable for wine grape production, but this needed to be investigated before substantial investments occurred. In 2005 a project was initiated to evaluate the climate in the area and many of the most important wine grape varieties in demand by the commercial wine industry in British Columbia.  The goal of this project is to determine if the climate is suitable for commercial wine grape production and to evaluate the performance of the grape varieties chosen for the project. Nine red and nine white selections representing 80% of the 2005 grape crush by commercial wineries were planted.  Over time, these varieties and climate data collected from a network of data loggers and weather stations will help to evaluate the area potential for the production of wine grapes with currently popular selections.

Support for the project comes from the local cooperants who provide the land, labour and materials for the vineyard and its maintenance and help to keep various records of the vineyard performance and fruit quality. Funding and support was received from the BC Ministry of Agriculture, BC Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation, Forum for Research and Extension in natural resources (FORREX), Fraser Basin Council, Agriculture and Agri Food Canada, District of Lillooet, Village of Lytton, Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia, British Columbia Grapegrowers Association and several private consultants.

Recently a group of volunteers has also produced a set of potential solar radiation maps for the area that identifies the range of solar radiation in the area.

Project progress reports are published annually and can be viewed or downloaded from this and other web sites listed in the reports.  The potential solar radiation maps are also posted on these websites are also freely available.