Vineyards are especially vulnerable to rapid temperature swings and spring storm activity, making weather one of the biggest risks in grape growing. Grape vines go dormant in winter, but as temperatures warm in late winter, they begin to come alive and begin budbreak. This is when tiny green shoots emerge that will become leaves and grape clusters. If a freeze or severe weather with hail occurs after this point, those tender buds are extremely fragile.
When a freeze occurs, like the most recent freeze on March 17th of this year, the damage caused can be extensive. Some Hill Country vineyards were hard hit, causing primary bud damage. Primary buds produce the best fruit, and a late winter or early spring freeze essentially kills them outright. Backup buds, called secondary buds, may grow, but they produce fewer and lower-quality grapes. A severe freeze can wipe out most of the season’s crop by reducing crop yields. Late freezes also delay growth, meaning surviving vines may lag behind, affecting ripening timing.
Long-term effects of repeated freeze damage to grape vines weakens them, often reducing productivity in future growing seasons.
Hailstorms are another act of Mother Nature that can affect grape production. Hail often shreds the leaves of the vine, which is critical for photosynthesis. The leaves are critical for energy production of the vine. If fruit is present, hail can damage the fruit by splitting the berries, bruising them, or even knocking them off the vine entirely. Broken shoots on young stems can cause fruiting sections to be eliminated. Any damage from hailstorms causing wounds to the vine allows for certain diseases to take root like fungus.
When both freezes and hailstorms hit in the same season, the impact to wine production can be tremendous. For example, lower yields of fruit translate into a higher cost per bottle of wine. Inconsistent fruit quality translates into challenging winemaking. Texas wineries are constantly doing things in the vineyard to help alleviate the impacts of Mother Nature, such as hail netting and installing wind turbines. Some even have helicopters fly over the vineyard during freezing temperatures. In places like the Texas Hill Country, weather can swing wildly, so vineyard success and management often comes down to being prepared and reacting fast.
