Wineries across Virginia devastated by last week’s cold weather
Wineries across much of Virginia lost significant portions of their grape crops last week after a destructive freeze, setting back an already struggling industry and resulting in gaps in the availability of some local wines from 2026 starting next spring.
Temperatures dropped to as low as 24 degrees in Charlottesville overnight Monday and Tuesday, resulting in a “hard freeze,” according to Annette Boyd, director of marketing for the Virginia Wine Board, which advocates for the state’s wine industry. In addition to the Northern Virginia and Shenandoah Valley areas, wineries as far south as New Kent County were impacted, with the New Kent Winery reporting a loss of about 90% of its crop.
The grapes affected by last week’s freeze were due to be harvested from August to October and would’ve started to be available commercially about six months later, depending on the type of grape and the winery’s respective aging schedule, Boyd said.
As long as the vines themselves weren’t damaged, they may bud again in time for harvest but these will be smaller and in far fewer number, according to Curt Hartman, part-owner and president of Bluestone Vineyard in Bridgewater, west of Shenandoah National Park.
Temperatures dropped to as low as 24 degrees in Charlottesville overnight Monday and Tuesday, resulting in a “hard freeze,” according to Annette Boyd, director of marketing for the Virginia Wine Board, which advocates for the state’s wine industry. In addition to the Northern Virginia and Shenandoah Valley areas, wineries as far south as New Kent County were impacted, with the New Kent Winery reporting a loss of about 90% of its crop.
The grapes affected by last week’s freeze were due to be harvested from August to October and would’ve started to be available commercially about six months later, depending on the type of grape and the winery’s respective aging schedule, Boyd said.
As long as the vines themselves weren’t damaged, they may bud again in time for harvest but these will be smaller and in far fewer number, according to Curt Hartman, part-owner and president of Bluestone Vineyard in Bridgewater, west of Shenandoah National Park.