The Fall grape harvest is facing its share of challenges from the weather.
It all began in the winter, when cold temperatures spelled trouble.
“In part to the winter injury from January’s polar vortex event and the spring freeze events in late-April and early-May, yields for most vineyards are also quite low this year,” Dr. Maria Smith, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice and Viticulture Extension Specialist for Ohio State University, said.
And rain isn’t making anything easier.
“The rainfall over the past month has made this year’s harvest very difficult to get to the maturity levels that we’d like to see,” Dr. Smith added. She noted that sugar accumulation (Brix) is overall lower and will need to be adjusted in the winery.
She added that it’s generally a very early harvest year by about one to weeks.
Locally, Nick Ferrante, owner and winemaker at Ferrante Winery & Ristorante at 5585 State Route 307, Geneva, said yields this Fall were very, very minimal.
He attributed the low yields to the winter bud damage when the temperatures were below zero.
“It’s Mother Nature,” he said.
For the varieties of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Gruner, he said the yield per acre was one to two tons of grapes.
He expected the yield for Vidal Blanc to be four tons average per acre, where it’s usually six to seven.
For Cabernet Franc, he said it would be two to two-and-a-half tons per acre, which he said is fair to low.
But with the “spectacular” harvests in 2024 and 2025, there is a surplus of wine in the winery’s tank, which it will be able to rely on, he said.
“We’re just fine,” he said.
At the nearby Kosicek Vineyards at 636 State Rt. 534 in Harpersfield Township, Tony Kosicek, owner and winemaker, also reported winter bud damage.
He said the varieties of Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Riesling sustained “pretty bad damage,” with yields down 60 to 70 percent. Back in January, he said the vineyards saw temperatures at 9 below zero.
However, he expected the varieties of Concord, Vidal Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon to have 100-percent yields.
“Different plants have different temperature extremes that they can handle,” he explained.
On an up note, he also expected the quality will be “super good” of the crop that was able to be harvested.
While the vineyard might not have as much grapes to work with and therefore not as much wine, he noted that the last two years’ harvest was very good.
“So, we have a lot of wine that gets us through the years with lower yields with no problem,” he said.
Donniella Winchell, executive director of the Ohio Wine Producers Association, said the Fall grape harvest is early – as much as two weeks ahead of schedule in some varieties and “super quality.”
“In 2024, we heard that it was probably the best year since 2010, which was a classic for our area, especially for the reds,” she said. “Then in 2025, I kept hearing the quality was even better than in 2024. With the winter damage this past year and the spring frost, we were worried, so while the quantity was down a bit, the quality of what was there was over the top, and for a couple of vineyards who avoided most of the damage, they are incredibly pleased. Given the early maturity, getting everything off the vines is critical to avoid the pressure from ‘critters’: deer, raccoons, birds, so things are pretty frantic in most vineyards.”
She nothing is certain until a cork is popped, “but there is every probability of a whole treasure chest of gold medals in our future from the vintage of 2026!”
