Frost causes extensive damage to some Northeast Ohio vineyards

HARPERSFIELD TWP., Ohio — Wine producers are surveying the damage after the mid-May frost took a toll on Ohio’s multi-billion-dollar wine industry.

Tracy Hundley checked the vineyards at Hundley Cellars early Thursday morning and discovered the overnight temperature drop had crippled the budding grapes.

“Mother Nature decided to throw us a curve ball last night, and there’s severe damage,” she said. “I came out here at 6:20, and it looked like I had walked in the snow. You could see my footprints back and forth to the vineyard.”

Hundley estimates the frost and quick thaw wiped out 40-50% of the vineyard’s grapes.

“It’s anywhere from $15,000-$20,000 in just fruit loss itself, not to mention that we still have to take care of the vines,” she explained. “So you’re talking another $15,000-$20,000 to maintain the vines and keep them healthy, regardless of whether you have fruit. That’s kind of one of the difficult parts about farming. It hurts.”

Some of the larger producers in the Grand River Valley use large wind machines to move warm air through their vineyards and protect them from frost damage. Smaller operations like Hundley Cellars don’t have the same resources and will likely have to purchase extra grapes from elsewhere to keep up with wine production.

“We produce a very unique variety of wines, and so to have to go somewhere else really hurts when we have such a beautiful natural resource here,” Hundley said.

The Ohio Wine Producers Association has been gathering information from producers throughout the state to gauge the scope of Wednesday evening’s damage. Executive Director Donniella Winchell explained losses are varied, and the season’s total yield will largely depend on weather throughout the summer.

“There are some wineries indicating that they had about a 100% loss, some wineries 25 or 20% loss, but some, like Klingshirn Winery in Avon Lake, reported no loss. So it’s very site-specific,” she said.

Winchell explained some producers who suffered losses this week may still be able to harvest grapes in the fall if their vines produce secondary or tertiary buds, though they will likely yield less product.

Hundley Cellars has seen an outpouring of community support. Thursday, the family business welcomed a crowd of customers for live music and its popular baked potato night.

“They’re really nice people. Most of the wineries around do have really nice people; the food is always good. It’s good to support them,” said customer Carol Benetka.

Hundley knows mother nature and other uncertainties are a reality of farming and said she appreciates the support from the community.

“Come out and buy wine and say thank you – especially to the ones with the vineyards,” she said of the need to support local farmers. “Those are the ones that put in that extra cost and love to grow their own. And that’s an awesome thing to do, but it’s a hard thing to do.”

Ohio’s wine and grape industry is a significant money-maker for the state. In 2022, it brought in $6.6 billion in economic activity, the 7th highest in the country. The industry created more than 40,000 jobs and generated $1.9 billion in wages.

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