"What we'd like to do right about now is begin to turn the rain off. Grapes generally like a drier climate, a drier soil," said Glenora Wine Cellar owner Gene Pierce. "A lot of vineyard work isn't being done simply because it's wet and we're worried about long-term damage."
Now this all might make it seem like the grape crop is in bad shape this season. But the winemakers I spoke with say these little clusters are only three days behind where they should be. The only reason it seems bad is because last year, they were two weeks ahead."
"When you look at let's say May 23rd of last year, the vineyards would look a lot different then than they do now. Do we like all this wet weather? No. But overall things are looking very good," said Pierce. "The grapes are progressing along nicely. The problem is the excessive moisture that we have made it very difficult to do any spring farm work," said Lakewood Vineyards manager David Stamp.
Luckily, it's still early. Grape-harvesting peaks in late July and August. And assuming the summer heats up as it should, wine production should be normal. So get your wine openers ready.
