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Wine grape harvest after a historically cold Winter

Accordingly to New Jersey state climatologist, Dave Robinson, PhD, Rutgers University, “This past winter had some of the coldest minimums in 20 years. In fact, the annual extreme minimum has been creeping up in NJ.” The impact was especially damaging to area wine grapes decreasing the quantity of harvest this year.


Finesville, NJ – WEBWIRE
Winter kill back on Malbec (vinifera)
Winter kill back on Malbec (vinifera)

But as winters grow colder and longer, the vinifera vines are threatened. “The hybrids faired well this past winter,” says winemaker Gambino. “There was little bud or tissue damage and these vines are fruitful. Our fear is for the future of our vinifera.”

Villa Milagro Vineyards in southwest Warren County, suffered severe damage to many of its vinifera vines, varietals such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.  “Not only were our fruit buds damaged,” says owner-winemaker Audrey Gambino, “but we also experienced outright vine death.”  Hit hardest were their Malbec and Shiraz vines that prefer slightly warmer winters.  Studies of bud and cane tissue hardiness at Washington State University and elsewhere show that these varieties do not fair well in cold climates. (http://wine.wsu.edu/research-extension/files/2010/07/57_1941.pdf)
 
“When we settled here in 2001, the mean winter temperature in January and February was 35 and 36.9 degrees respectively,” says owner Steve Gambino, who tracks and records vineyard temperatures with a small weather station.  These temperatures are well within safe ranges for most vinifera.  So the Gambinos planted their 11 acres vineyard primarily with French and Italian vinifera: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Malbec, Pinto Grigio and Sangiovese.  They also included a sprinkling of American hybrids, Vidal, Cynthiana and Frontenac. 
 
But as winters grow colder and longer, the vinifera vines are threatened.  “The hybrids faired well this past winter,” says winemaker Gambino.  “There was little bud or tissue damage and these vines are fruitful.  Our fear is for the future of our vinifera.” 
 
Four Sisters Winery and Brook Hollow Winery located in northern Warren County grow  hybrids such as  Foch, Seyval, Marquette, Chambourcin, Frontenac and others.  These varieties were developed for their cold hardiness.  “Given predictions that this winter will be longer and colder than last,” says Gambino, “we plan to plant hybrids in the spring.  Our Villa Milagro Vineyards winemaker is expert at creating exciting old world style blends, so I trust that we can continue to produce exceptional wines.”
 
 
Each of these Warren County wineries, along with winery members of Vintage North Jersey located in Sussex, Hunterdon and Mercer counties, will be highlighting their wines at the upcoming November 8-9 wine tasting event, “More than Just Wine.”  For more information on the event visit www.VillaMilagroVineyards.com or www.VintageNorthJersey.com


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