The Finger Lakes region, a critical area for vineyards, has experienced significant damage following freezing temperatures on Thursday morning that caused about 50% crop loss at Lakewood Vineyards and an estimated 35% at Fox Run Vineyards.
David Stamp, owner of Lakewood Vineyards, told RochesterFirrst.com that the incident as the worst in his 40 years in the business, turning once vibrant green leaves to a lifeless brown color. Although growers are hoping for secondary buds to replace the damaged ones, they expect the yield to be significantly lower than before the freeze.
This unexpected loss is anticipated to disrupt the wine industry in the region over the next few years as the scarcity of certain wines on the market becomes more noticeable.
The full impact of the damage will become most apparent during the fall harvest, when vineyards are predicted to fall short of their expected fruit yield. Despite the frozen buds being irrevocable, vineyard owners remain hopeful in protecting and nurturing the remaining good buds for future harvests.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected]