Weather's impact on wine grapes in Southwest Michigan

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mish. -- Red or white, sweet or dry, Southwest Michigan wine is always at the mercy of Mother Nature. This year, Michiana's weather was short on mercy for local vineyards.

An early budding season spelled trouble at the start with frosty conditions killing of some of the fruit.

With moist conditions allowing disease and rot to thrive and increased insect interference, some vineyard tenders lost a significant amount of product.

Michael Reinke, viticulture specialist from the Michigan State University Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center, said, "There are some farms where they had to take a total loss because they missed one or two management timings. So, it's anywhere from zero to 50 percent crop, depending on the farm and the location.”

Despite the decreased yield, the winemaking show must go on.

Tim Godfrey, Program Chair of Agriculture, Culinary and Wine at Lake Michigan College says, “It doesn't mean we can't make good wine. It just means we have to work a little harder to get it there as winemakers.”

Weather conditions don’t just impact the number of grapes available, it can also impact the flavors, with winemakers able to predict how that year's batch of wine, or vintage, will turn out.