Quebec ice wine producers worried about mild weather

December is off to a warm start this year — and that's bad news for ice wine producers like Denise Lavoie.

Lavoie owns Le Domaine des Salamandres, a vineyard in Hemmingford, Que. situated about 70 kilometres south of Montreal.

"Since we didn't get any cold, right now our grapes are starting to dehydrate in the field so that's not very good," she said.

We really have to have -8 C for us to harvest the grapes.- Denise Lavoie, owner of  Le Domaine des Salamandres vineyard

Ice wine is a dessert wine that is made by pressing frozen grapes.

"We really have to have -8 C for us to harvest the grapes and crush them when they're frozen," Lavoie said, adding that the grapes are drying out in the meantime.

"There won't be a lot of juice...it'll be a smaller harvest," Lavoie said, adding that she is still uncertain whether she will be able to make ice wine at all.

"Since the winter isn't starting, it's a big question mark over our heads because ice wine is a product that's a very high quality."

Temperatures this month have been unusually mild. Daytime highs have been above zero every day, sometimes even close to double-digits across southern Quebec.Overnight lows have been hovering around the freezing mark.

Nighttime temperatures should normally be around -10 C for this time of year.

"We are still waiting … hoping that the cold weather arrives," Lavoie said.