Vineyard farmers might be done removing their dead grape vines from last winter’s devastating freezing conditions, but many agree the jury is still out on how much lasting damage the polar vortex will leave on Ohio’s northern wine industry.

Depending on the variety grown, Ohio’s vineyards counted grape losses between 29 percent and 97 percent this summer, according to the Ohio Agricultural Research Development Center.

But the bigger focus is on the future of the region’s vines because it can take up to three years before a replanted vine can produce new fruit.

And planting an acre of new vines costs approximately $15,000, said Donniella Winchell, executive director of the Ohio Wine Producers Association.

Winchell said vineyards across the state reported a 30 percent to 50 percent vine loss this year connected to the polar vortex.

“I do not know of anyone who is not going to replant,” Winchell said, adding that she believes there will be more rehabbing than replanting.

She said the Ohio State University Extension offices and U.S. Department of Agriculture have provided mentoring and financial assistance.

David Marrison, an associate professor of agriculture and natural resources for Ashtabula’s Ohio State University Extension office, has studied the polar vortex’s impact on the vineyard-industry in Ashtabula and Lake counties. He said the total loss of vines and grapes in that area alone reached up to $15 million, conservatively.

“The story is not yet completely shut on the damage that occurred last winter,” Marrison said.

That’s because farmers are still finding cases of crown gall, a bacterial disease, in the vines damaged from the polar vortex.

In addition, the polar vortex depleted the strength of many healthy vines, leaving them vulnerable to death if this winter brings similar freezing conditions to last season.

Winchell said the uncertainty hasn’t left a worrisome impression on Ohio’s wine grape growers, which continue to welcome new vineyards — most recently Hundley Cellars in Harpersfield Township opening nearly a month ago.

Leonard Blackie, another wine grape farmer who is in the midst of establishing his own vineyard between Madison and Harpersfield townships called Laurentia, said the polar vortex might have killed some of his crop this year, but it hasn’t impacted his plans.

“This is not California, its Northeast Ohio,” the Madison Township resident said. “Any farmer is at risk of mother nature any year.”

Blackie said his farm has 29 acres of vines with more on the way, but isn’t yet set on an opening date for the winery.

“The reason we’re growing here is because we think the region can grow world-class wine,” he said.

Art Pietrzyk, owner of St. Joseph Vineyard in Madison and Thompson townships has a similar positive outlook on the local industry’s future despite that his farm produced virtually no grapes this year.

Fortunately, his farm has enough “bumper” inventory of wine grapes harvested in 2013 to avoid importing grapes elsewhere, he said.

Pietrzyk started the vineyard in 1986 and calls last winter’s polar vortex very unique in the damage it inflicted. And it’s not merely because of the cold--his farm has endured worse temperatures in past years. What made this one different, he said, was how fast the weather changed in early January.

The day before the polar vortex plunged temperatures below 0 Fahrenheit, Pietrzyk remembered the rainy, 40-degree weather washing away the snow on his farm and waking the vines from their dormancy.

“We’re talking about a swing of 60 degree in 36 hours,” he said.

If it wasn’t for that, his vines would’ve had a better chance surviving, he said.

Nevertheless, 75 percent of the vines on his 25-acre farm have suckers and he’s hoping they produce fruit next year if all goes well, he said.

Source - http://www.news-herald.com/