This past May, unseasonably low temperatures led to frost damage and impacted farms and wineries in the Southern Tier, Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley, Central New York and the Capital Region.
Specialists with Cornell Cooperative Extension found that more than 40% of Gewürztraminer grapes, a variety used in white wine, were destroyed in the 2023 freeze. That variety was also hit hard by last year’s winter. Farm wineries are required to use 75% of New York state-grown grapes or other ingredients in their wine.
But now a crop loss declaration is allowing them to temporarily source grapes from out of state through Dec. 31.
For some wineries, this has turned into a major headache. Others, however, managed to escape the damaging frost.
For Casa Larga Vineyards in Fairport, their annual Purple Foot Festival is about more than stomping grapes.
“We like Purple Foot to say it’s the kick-off to harvest,” said Casa Large Vineyards president Andrea Colaruotolo O’Neill. “There’ll be picking and pressing and there’s a special smell just from the grapes because they’re fermenting and freshly picked.”
Harvest season starts within the next few weeks for many vineyards across New York state and will run until October.
“It’s all weather dependent,” Colaruotolo O’Neill said. “This year it’s probably going to get pushed back a little because it’s been a little chilly and a little more wet than we’d like. And so we try to wait it out to see if we got those extra-long and hot days to try to finish ripening the grapes.”
It’s a waiting game that may be significant for vineyards this year after low temperatures in May that resulted in frost damage.
“A lot of wineries and a lot of vineyards were impacted by that,” she said. “We were very lucky. We were blessed that we did not have any problems from the frost and we’re looking at a decent crop.”
It’s a blessing Casa Larga attributes to their location
“We have a constant breeze that blows across the vineyard because we have Canandaigua Lake to one side of us and Lake Ontario to the other,” Colaruotolo O’Neill said .”So because the air is constantly moving we don’t traditionally have frost in this area.”
But not all vineyards were as lucky.
“A lot of the other wineries or the vineyards a lot of times are on slopes near the lakes and as the air settles down in those valleys it can cause damage to the vines,” she said.
On top of the May frost that impacted many wineries and vineyards across the Finger Lakes Region, this year’s harvest season also looks a little bit different. But expectations for harvest are still high, especially for wineries and vineyards like Casa Larga.
“Previous harvests, weather-wise, has been hotter,” Colaruotolo O’Neill said. “So, like I said, this year has been a bit of a challenge. But we still are looking at a good crop. Quantities look good. The fruit looks very good.”
With just one key thing that could make this harvest even better.
“We’re just praying for a little bit more warmer weather before the winter cold, fall hits,” she said.