Icewine Worries in Ohio

Filed in archive Wine Making on December 26, 2006

Super cold weather for some wineries means super sweet Icewine, but so far, Ohio wine makers are not getting the cold weather they would expect and need this time of year. Of course, not all wines need cold weather, but for those vineyards that hope to product Icewine, they are hurting for some cold right now.

Here's more from Warm winter weather hampers northeastern Ohio winemakers:

GENEVA, Ohio - While some folks might be wishing for a white Christmas, northeast Ohio winemakers are hoping for an arctic blast so they can harvest grapes used in sugary sweet ice wine.

So far, the harvest has mostly been on hold with warmer-than-usual December temperatures and a 10-day forecast that doesn't get much cooler. Temperatures are predicted to range from lows around 31 degrees to highs as warm as 48 degrees.

"We need a freeze," says Kim Laurello, who, with her husband Larry, owns Laurello Vineyards in Harpersfield Township, about 50 miles east of Cleveland.

Daytime temperatures need to be in the low 20s and nighttime readings in the 15- to 18-degree range to create an opportunity for harvesting grapes destined for ice wine, the staple of Ohio's burgeoning wine industry.

Winemakers say they're concerned, but not too worried, because ice wine grapes can be harvested as late as January.

The state has more than 100 wineries, many known for the dessert ice wine, which is largely limited to northern climates and accounts for less than 1 percent of Ohio's production. It's made from grapes left on the vine until they freeze.

Of the nation's wine-producing states, Ohio ranks sixth, according to the state Division of Liquor Control. Seven new wineries, on average, have opened each year since 2000.