Volcanic Wine Awards | The Jancis Robinson Story | 🎁 25% off annual & gift memberships

Floods cut off BC wine country

Thursday 18 November 2021 • 1 min read
Arnica Rowan's back yard

Spare a thought for Arnica Rowan, who has written so often for us, most recently this account of Canadian Thanksgiving and the role played by wild turkeys. She lives in the heart of British Columbia's wine country and in July sent a heart-rending description of the effects of unaccustomed wildfires there, in Okanagan Valley frazzles. You may have read that Vancouver and its hinterland has been severely lashed by rain and consequent serious flooding. I asked how Arnica and her family were faring. Above, her backyard garden last spring.

We are fine, although I do feel a bit melancholic. 

At time of writing, 4 pm on Wednesday 17 November in Kelowna, I'm sitting with candles beside the fireplace on my cellular iPad … power is out. Kids are playing board games by candlelight at the table with their friends, while I write a new wine-label brand plan on my iPad. Glad cell service is back online as it was out most of Monday and Tuesday. That was really inconvenient. 

I'm very grateful for my chickens making eggs in the yard and the veggie garden still producing, as there was a major run on the grocery stores yesterday. All the stores are empty. Really empty. All supply routes from Vancouver up to our home in Kelowna and the rest of the province were washed out. So they are talking about routing grocery trucks through Washington (a seven-hour detour) but it might be a few days to a week before the stores are restocked.

Almost all the dairy and chicken farms near Vancouver were flooded, with all chickens and many cows dying, so food shortages will likely continue for a few months. Thankfully, we like fish and beans. We have enough food to last us for two to three weeks though if necessary! Plus I might go replant some winter veg just in case. 

It certainly feels a bit apocalyptic around here. But we will be fine! It's a been a very harsh dose of reality this year in western Canada and we had better get used to adapting to the changing climate.

Become a member to continue reading

Celebrating 25 years of building the world’s most trusted wine community

In honour of our anniversary, enjoy 25% off all annual and gift memberships for a limited time.

Use code HOLIDAY25 to join our community of wine experts and enthusiasts. Valid through 1 January.

Member
$135
/year
Save over 15% annually
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
  • Access 285,302 wine reviews & 15,800 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
 
Ideal for collectors
  • Access 285,302 wine reviews & 15,800 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
  • Access 285,302 wine reviews & 15,800 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
  • Access 285,302 wine reviews & 15,800 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Pay with
Visa logo Mastercard logo American Express logo Logo for more payment options
Join our newsletter

Get the latest from Jancis and her team of leading wine experts.

By subscribing you agree with our Privacy Policy and provide consent to receive updates from our company.

More Free for all

JancisRobinson.com team 15 Nov 2025 in London
Free for all Instead of my usual monthly diary, here’s a look back over the last quarter- (and half-) century. Jancis’s diary will...
Skye Gyngell
Free for all Nick pays tribute to two notable forces in British food, curtailed far too early. Skye Gyngell is pictured above. To...
Kistler Chardonnay being poured at The Morris
Free for all Recommendations of very varied wines for very varied budgets, from £11.50 to £60 a bottle. A much shorter version of...
Cornas view © Bernard Favre
Free for all A guide to all our coverage of vintage 2024 in the Rhône Valley. Master of Wine and Rhône expert Alistair...

More from JancisRobinson.com

Karl and Alex Fritsch in winery; photo by Julius_Hirtzberger.jpg
Wines of the week A rare Austrian variety revived and worthy of a place at the table. From €13.15, £20.10, $24.19. It was pouring...
Windfall vineyard Oregon
Tasting articles The fine sparkling-wine producers of Oregon are getting organised. Above, Lytle-Barnett’s Windfall vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon (credit: Lester...
Mercouri peacock
Tasting articles More than 120 Greek wines tasted in the Peloponnese and in London. This peacock in the grounds of Mercouri estate...
Wine Snobbery book cover
Book reviews A scathing take on the wine industry that reminds us to keep asking questions – about wine, and about everything...
bidding during the 2025 Hospices de Beaune wine auction
Inside information A look back – and forward – at the world’s oldest wine charity auction, from a former bidder. On Sunday...
hen among ripe grapes in the Helichrysum vineyard
Tasting articles The wines Brunello producers are most proud of from the 2021 vintage, assessed. See also Walter’s overview of the vintage...
Haliotide - foggy landscape
Tasting articles Wines for the festive season, pulled from our last month of tastings. Above, fog over the California vineyards of Haliotide...
Leonardo Berti of Poggio di Sotto
Tasting articles Following Walter’s overview of the vintage last Friday, here’s the first instalment of his wine reviews. Above, Leonardo Berti, winemaker...
Wine inspiration delivered directly to your inbox, weekly
Our weekly newsletter is free for all
By subscribing you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions.