Late Spring Frost Deals Severe Blow To Upstate New York Vineyards

Upstate country road and red barn. Vineyards are facing uncertain due to weather changes this year and possibility of demand. JOHN GREIM/ACCUWEATHER

An early wave of warmth washed over the Finger Lakes region in New York State, coaxing the vines at the area’s multiple vineyards weeks ahead of schedule. But when a cold snap hit the area in mid-May, it brought some of the worst frosts the region’s winemakers had faced in decades.

Chris Stamp, a winemaker at Lakewood Vineyards, tells AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell about the frost damage done to the vineyard. COURTESY/ACCUWEATHER