Brutal Winter Leaves Finger Lakes Wine Region a Disaster Area

finger lakes keuka lake wine

After a cruel winter that left some vineyards 100% damaged, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared the 19 counties that make up the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York a disaster zone. According to Wine-Searcher, it’s too early to sum up the economic impact of the Polar Vortex’s destructive sweep, but the government will help fund rehabilitation of agriculture in the area, which suffered months of temperatures between -7 and -18 degrees Fahrenheit. The extreme weather left sturdy Riesling buds battered, let alone mild-climate inclined varieties such as Merlot and Chardonnay. This spring, winemakers will be able to asses the full damage as they monitor bud break and flowering. [Wine-Searcher] [Image: Flickr/Brian Holland]