Parts of Virginia suffered freeze or frost damage during the early morning hours of May 14. While this is a late spring frost, it is not unusual for such an event to occur at this date. VVA would like to learn of your vineyard’s experience with this weather event.
Would you please respond by telling us:
- the overall percent of apparent damage (expected loss of fruitful buds)
- the absolute elevation of your site (average)
- the slope of your site (average)
- the relative elevation of the susceptible areas above bottomland or obstructions to the free-flow of cold air (e.g., trees in leaf)
- the slope of the susceptible areas
- the county in which your vineyard is located.
Even if you didn’t suffer any damage, we would appreciate a response. We will aggregate the responses and publish that as a service to Virginia grape growers and wineries. We anticipate that you will already have contacted your client wineries to inform them directly.
Jim Benefiel
Vice President, Virginia Vineyards Association