Lincoln, Neb. —Some Nebraska winemakers are optimistic about the state’s 2020 vintage even though grape harvest final tonnage estimates are roughly half of last year’s crop.
Although not affected by fire and smoke, like the California grape crop, Nebraska’s 2020 grape crop was affected by a variety of weather-related events.
According to University of Nebraska–Lincoln Viticulture Professor Paul Read, initially, this year’s cool spring set the pollination period back by 2 to 3 weeks.
Grapes have small flowers which are susceptible to extreme weather conditions, including wind, cold temperatures and rain. A late spring frost in parts of the state affected Nebraska vineyards and where frost damage occurred, yields automatically became half a crop due to freezing of the primary fruiting cluster.
“High winds during two weeks this June occurred right when most of the crop was trying to pollinate and additional yield reductions occurred then as well," Read said.
Nebraska Wineries and Grape Growers Association President Mick McDowell of Miletta Vista Winery near St. Paul, Nebraska, said they missed the frost event at Miletta.
“Most of our grapes were trying to pollinate right when those two weeks of high winds and high temperatures hit us in June,” he said.
While some grape varieties fared better than others, McDowell noticed a 60% reduction in pollination success in his Edelweiss crop, which translated to a 60% loss in yield. In addition, the majority of his yields were 30% to 50% smaller than typical. Although there appears to be enough Edelweiss on hand, McDowell said there could be shortages in some winery locations within the state.
In November, the NWGGA named Edelweiss as their signature white grape for 2019. Nebraska winemakers have won seven Best of Show awards across the nation with Edelweiss in the last 15 years. Prairie Creek Vineyard and Winery in Central City, Nebraska, won 2020 Best of Show at a California competition with their 2019 Edelweiss.
While the number of gallons of Nebraska grapes produced this year is half that of previous years, it appears that the quality of the grape crop is good and winemakers are optimistic about the 2020 vintage.
Richard Hilske, of Cellar 426 near Ashland, Nebraska, said his yields and those of growers he relies on also came in 30% to 50% lower than expected. Hilske received Double Gold on some of his 2019 vintages and he said he is optimistic about the quality of the 2020 wines.
“The flavor profiles for the grapes that came in this year seemed to have deeper qualities which will shine through the 2020 vintage,” Hilske said.
“With better disease control in 2020, it seems as if more grapes reached a full maturity and ripeness,” Read said. “Growers took advantage of the drier spring, applying fungus controls through the most vulnerable periods of development. The Nebraska grapes were better able to use the hot dry summer conditions for an increased quality of the fruit that was harvested.”
The 2020 vintages are far from bottled, but with the improvements Nebraska winemakers have made in the last 10 years, McDowell and Read are hoping for another banner year for Nebraska’s 2020 vintage.