Wine Country Worries Over Wintry Cold Snap

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DEFIANCE, Mo. – Spring seems to be fighting a losing battle with another cold snap expected to cause some frost.

Many businesses rely on better weather by this time in April. Missouri's wine country is just one of them.

“Mother nature rules the wine region absolutely, absolutely,” says Charles Miller, the tasting bar manager at Chandler Hill.

The continued cold means a late start for Missouri’s wine crop.

“You see that water right there? That’s actually the very first sign that bud break is about to happen about so that we call that the vines are bleeding,” he says.

Miller says the buds won’t come for another few weeks as the cool temps linger and some brace for a quick freeze overnight.

“We pruned the vines a little bit later anticipating this. We took measures to protect our plants. And that’s why we’ll see the later bud break, the later harvest, which could result in a little bit riper wine, but most likely we’ll have a great vintage,” says Miller.

But Mother Nature isn’t just delaying the wine crop, it’s delaying the crowds as well.

“These last few weekends, these last three or four weekends, really should’ve been beautiful as in years past. Some harsh weather, but it’s been some harsh weather, very cold, very rainy, so we haven’t gotten the business," he says.

By Michelle Madaras
April 19, 2018
Source: fox2now.com