How to support Maryland vineyards after devastating crop losses

“We still have wine to sell”: How to support Maryland vineyards after devastating crop losses

ALL RIGHT. LISTEN THE BACK AND FORTH TEMPERATURES CAN BE ANNOYING FOR EVERYBODY, BUT FOR FARMERS AND WINEMAKERS HERE IN MARYLAND, IT CAN BE DEVASTATING. AND AFTER LAST WEEK’S FROST OVERNIGHT, MORE THAN SEVERAL CROPS HAVE BEEN LOST. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN IMPACT HERE. WINEMAKER RACHEL LIPPMANN IS HERE. SHE IS THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT VINEYARDS IN MOUNT AIRY. THANKS FOR COMING THIS MORNING. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. SO DESCRIBE TO US WHAT HAPPENED. SO WE HAD SOME REALLY BEAUTIFUL TEMPERATURES, AS ANYONE CAN REMEMBER, WE HAD SOME ALMOST 90 DEGREE DAYS. SO WE HAD A LOT OF OUR BUDS AND OUR MINDS. THEY WERE GROWING AND THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL GREEN TISSUE. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD A FORECAST OF 29 DEGREES. SO IN THE FROST DANGER ZONE. BUT THEN IT ENDED UP BEING SIX DEGREES COLDER, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAD A FREEZE AND WE HAD ALL OF OUR PRIMARY BUDS WHERE YOU HAVE CLUSTERS FORMING AND YOU HAD ABOUT TWO INCHES OF GROWTH. ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAD THEY JUST THEY DIED OFF. THEY’RE DEAD. YEAH. AND SO ACROSS THE STATE, WE EXPERIENCED THIS. IT WENT FROM NEW YORK ALL THE WAY DOWN TO NORTH CAROLINA. IT’S A IT’S A PRETTY DEVASTATING. EVENT, REALLY FOR FOR FARMERS. I MEAN, WE PREPARE FOR SOME SORT OF LOSS WITH FROST, BUT NOT TO THIS EXTENT. AND WHEN YOU SAY TO THIS EXTENT, YOU’RE TALKING ACRES AND ACRES, NOT JUST YOUR FARM ALONE STANDS TO LOSE WHAT I FOUND SEVEN LIVING SHOOTS IN A IN IN THE ACREAGE THAT WE HAVE. SO IN TERMS OF THE PRIMARY BUDGET THAT WOULD PRODUCE HIGH QUALITY FRUIT. SO ACROSS THE BOARD, ACROSS THE STATE, WE’RE SEEING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MOST VINEYARDS ARE SAYING EITHER BETWEEN 50 AND 90% LOSS IN TERMS OF PRODUCTION FOR THIS YEAR, WHICH MEANS FOR HARVEST BETWEEN AUGUST AND NOVEMBER, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE BETWEEN 50 AND 90% OF THE WINE THAT THEY TYPICALLY PRODUCE. SO WE’RE TALKING MILLIONS IN ECONOMIC DEVASTATION. I MEAN, MILLIONS, YES, BUT THERE’S A POSITIVE THAT WE STILL HAVE WINE TO SELL. THAT’S GOOD. YEAH. WE HAVE WINE TO SELL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE THE WINE THAT IS PRODUCED FROM LAST VINTAGE FROM LAST YEAR DOES NOT GO INTO MARKET UNTIL, YOU KNOW, JUST STARTING TO GET INTO MARKET FOR WHITES. IT’S USUALLY WITHIN SIX MONTHS TO A 12 MONTHS FROM THAT HARVEST. AND THEN FOR REDS BETWEEN 1 AND 3 YEARS. SO, SO THAT WILL GET YOU THROUGH THIS YEAR. THAT’LL GET US THROUGH THIS YEAR. WHAT ABOUT NEXT YEAR? YEAH. THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE TRYING NOT TO THINK. SO THAT’S THE THING IS THEN WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE FROST FOR NEXT YEAR OR ANY SORT OF EVENT. AND IT’S REALLY FOR US, I MEAN WE’RE FARMERS THAT ARE MAKING A LUXURY PRODUCT. SO IN THAT SENSE, YOU KNOW, WE’RE REALLY WE EXPECT SOME SORT OF EVENT, BUT NOT TO THIS EXTENT. THE BEST THING THAT PEOPLE CAN DO IS COME VISIT US, YOU KNOW, VISIT OUR TASTING ROOMS AND, AND REALLY DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR, WITH YOUR, WITH THE WINEMAKERS, WITH THE FARMS, BECAUSE WE’RE PUTTING OUR HEARTS AND SOULS INTO EVERY PRODUCT. AND, AND A LOT OF YOUR FAMILY, BUSINESSES, GENERATIONAL TO. TOTALLY, TOTALLY. THIS MEANS AN AWFUL LOT. AND WE’RE TALKING ABOUT WINE HERE. BUT THIS DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN TO VINEYARDS. IT HAPPENED TO THE ORCHARDS. APPLE ORCHARDS. IF YOU THINK OF APPLES, PEACHES, CHERRIES, STRAWBERRIES, EVEN. SO, WHEN YOU GO TO A FARMER’S MARKET IN A COUPLE MONTHS AND THE FRUIT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU TYPICALLY SEE AROUND THAT TIME OF YEAR. AND, YOU KNOW, JUNE OR SO. THAT’S THE REASON WHY. I MEAN, I’VE SEEN SOME FARMERS THAT HAVE LOST A LOT OF ASPARAGUS CROPS. I MEAN, IT’S AGAIN, IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE WE HIT THE 29 DEGREES. 23, 23.5 IS LIKE, THAT’S A FREEZE. I MEAN, THAT YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. YOU CAN’T MITIGATE THAT. YOU CAN’T. AND LIKE FOR THE, FOR THE AT HOME GARDENER, YOU CAN TAKE A SHEET OUT AND PUT IT OVER YOUR FLOWERS OR WHATEVER. YOU CAN’T DO THAT WITH A VINEYARD. YOU CAN’T DO THAT WITH A WHOLE ORCHARD. YEAH. IT’S WELL, PEOPLE ARE DOING DIFFERENT THINGS. THEY WERE, THEY WERE SPRAYING, YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY WERE LIGHTING FIRES. THERE ARE POTASSIUM SALTS THAT YOU CAN SPRAY, BUT IT INCREASES THE DEGREE OF, OF, OF SECURITY BY MAYBE TWO DEGREES. SO IF YOU’RE, IF WE’RE HITTING DOWN TO 23.5 AND IT’S INCREASING IT BY TWO DEGREES, THAT’S STILL IT’S GOING TO KILL. SO THERE REALLY WAS NOT MUCH ANYONE COULD DO. AND SO WE’RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF AND WE’RE A FARMING STATE. YEAH. WE REALLY ARE AGRICULTURAL BASED STATE. SO THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF A LOT OF DIFFERENCES AND THINGS THAT WE ARE SEEING FROM FARMS IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. AND WHEN YOU SAY DIFFERENCES IN THINGS, NOT JUST IN HOW YOUR FRUITS ARE AVAILABLE, WHAT’S AVAILABLE, RIGHT, WHAT’S AVAILABLE, AND MAYBE SORT OF, I WOULD IMAGINE SOME PRODUCTS MIGHT BE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN NORMAL, JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO OFFSET SOMEWHERE, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, I, I DON’T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THAT. I THINK IT’S MORE SO, YOU KNOW, THERE’S GOING TO WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE CREATIVE. I MEAN, AGAIN, WE’RE FARMERS, WE’RE, WE’RE USED TO SOME SORT OF THING GOING WRONG. BUT DO YOU EVER REMEMBER ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPENING BEFORE? YOU KNOW, I’VE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY BASICALLY MY WHOLE LIFE. AND THE MOST I REMEMBER SEEING IS MAYBE A 30 OR 40%, BUT NOT WHERE ON MONDAY. IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL. IT WAS, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT JUST YOU WALK IN AND YOU HEAR THE BIRDS CHIRPING AND YOU SEE ALL THE GREEN TISSUE AND YOU’RE THINKING, WHAT A GREAT SPRING IT IS. WHAT A GREAT GROWING SEASON. TUESDAY, IT LOOKS LIKE A GRAVEYARD. WOW. AND THAT AND THAT’S, THAT’S WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW IS THAT THIS WAS ONCE LUSH AND BEAUTIFUL AND GREEN FOR VINEYARDS. THE ONE THING FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT WE HAVE ONE SHOT AT THIS. WE HAVE ONE SHOT AT THIS WHEN THE GREEN TISSUES COMING OUT FOR FOR THE PRIMARY BUDS, THIS IS A PRIMARY BUD. THAT IS WHERE THE BEST QUALITY FRUIT. THEN WE HAVE A SECONDARY BUD, WHICH IS RIGHT HERE THAT MAY MAY PRODUCE SOME SOME FRUIT. AND THEN THERE’S TERTIARY BUDS WHICH PRODUCE NO FRUIT. SO WE HAVE JUST THE PRIMARY REALLY TO PROVIDE US AN ADEQUATE CROP. SO IF WE’RE NOT GETTING THE PRIMARY, WE’RE AND WE’RE MAYBE GOING TO GET THE SECONDARY. BECAUSE THE THING IS, IS BECAUSE THERE WEREN’T THE TEMPERATURES WERE SO WARM, THE SECONDARY BUDS WERE ACTUALLY ALREADY PUSHING. RIGHT. SO THERE WAS A LOT OF VINEYARDS THAT SAW PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FREEZE FREEZE. AND THAT MEANS YOU ONLY HAVE TERTIARY, WHICH MEANS IT’S NOT PRODUCING ANY FRUIT. IT’S GOING TO HAVE GROWTH. IT’S NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU ANY FRUIT FOR THIS YEAR. RIGHT. SO WE HAVE REALLY ONE MAJOR SHOT AT BEING ABLE TO HAVE A HARVEST BETWEEN AUGUST AND NOVEMBER. THIS JUST CHANGES ALL YOUR PLANS. YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD PLANS FOR, YOU KNOW, A NEW BLEND, A NEW, A NEW TYPE OF BOTTLE OR WHATEVER YOU HAD PLANS FOR. I THINK, WELL, IF I’M, I’M GOING TO BE POSITIVE, I THINK THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, 15% OF THE WINE THAT WE’RE PLANNING TO MAKE. WE HAVE THIS, YOU KNOW, THESE TWO WINES THAT WE GET AWARD WINNING. THEY WERE INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNERS. THEY WERE THE TOP 46 PRODUCTS IN A IN A 3000 PLUS PRODUCT COMPETITION, INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION. WE JUST FOUND OUT THIS PAST WEEK. SO THAT STARTED THE WEEK OUT WITH GOOD NEWS. WOW. AND TALK ABOUT HIGHS AND LOWS. YEAH. I DON’T KNOW IF WE’RE GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE IT THIS YEAR. OH MY GOSH. I THINK THE OTHER THING TOO IS IF YOU THERE ARE WINES THAT YOU REALLY ENJOY FROM YOUR FROM YOUR LOCAL WINERIES, GO VISIT THEM. STOP STOCK UP, VISIT US. I MEAN, THE BEST THING TO DO REALLY IS TO HAVE MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS WITH US BECAUSE THAT’S, THAT’S REALLY GOING TO HELP US CARRY THROUGH WHEN WE HAVE. WE MAY NOT WE DON’T KNOW. IT’S WE’RE NOT SURE WE WON’T KNOW FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS EXACTLY WHAT THE CROP LOAD WILL BE LIKE, BECAUSE THOSE SECONDARIES NEED TO START PUSHING. BUT WE’RE STILL NOT IN THE CLEAR. THE LAST FROST DATE IS MAY 10TH. WOW. SO AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, IT’S THIS TIME. YEAH. WENT FROM 90 DEGREES TO 23.5. SO I’LL BE THINKING ABOUT YOU GUYS FOR FOR SURE. I HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WAS GOING TO HAVE THAT KIND OF IMPACT THIS WEEK FOR SURE. I DON’T THINK ANYBODY REALLY. I MEAN, I DON’T THINK ANYONE REALLY, REALLY KNEW. I MEAN, WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT GO DOWN TO 27 OR 28, WHICH YOU CAN MITIGATE WITH TWO DEGREES, BUT 23.5, I MEAN, THAT WAS SIX DEGREES BELOW THE FORECAST. I CANNOT IMAGINE THE STRESS OF BEING A FARMER. RACHEL, THANKS FOR JOINING US. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. VINEYARDS, CELEBRATE YOUR LOCAL VINEYARDS WHILE YOU CAN B

“We still have wine to sell”: How to support Maryland vineyards after devastating crop losses

Updated: 5:18 PM EDT Apr 26, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Last week’s overnight freeze caused major crop losses for Maryland’s vineyards. Rachel Lipman from Loew Vineyards shares how shoppers can still support local vintners through this challenging season.