After a challenging season marked by a late freeze that devastated much of the grape crop, there is some reason to celebrate at Hardware Hills Vineyard. What began as a season filled with uncertainty and disappointment has turned into a story of perseverance, patience and gratitude as the vineyard reached its long-awaited harvest last week.
“The fruit out there is significantly less,” owner Andrea Nickels said. “It’s going to be tough. I don’t think anyone was spared.”
The vineyard’s late harvest this year comes from a “secondary growth” of vines, Nickels said. This past April, Mother Nature delivered a difficult blow when a late-season freeze swept through the region just as grapevines were beginning to awaken, damaging tender new growth and reducing the crop before the season was fully underway.
“I’ve never experienced something like that before,” Nickels said of the April 21st freeze. “It was, for me, shocking and devastating. I went out that morning and I was just in disbelief. All those beautiful green grapes were gone.”
Andrea and her husband purchased and moved to the vineyard in July 2021 after the youngest of their four children graduated from college. Though neither had previous experience with wine-making, but the couple jumped head first into their new endeavor, learning the ropes of wine making from the previous owners and other local wineries while becoming a part of the local community. After getting their footing, the couple decided to take a new step for the property and expanded their indoor tasting room as well as opening the property as a wedding and special events venue last year. In addition to weddings, receptions and rehearsal dinners, guests can rent the space for anniversary parties, birthday celebrations, bridal and baby showers and corporate events during non-public hours.
Andrea said that, despite efforts to protect them, they lost 90-95 percent of their vines that day. Now, the effects of the freeze have been felt months later as wineries across the area face a smaller-than-usual grape harvest and harvest dates being pushed back. For local vineyards, the reduced crop means fewer grapes to bring in. For winemakers, this means another season of adapting to the unpredictable realities of farming.
“It’s a tough time for Virginia wine,” Andrea said. “The best thing people can do is go out and support their wineries by going out and purchasing their wine. Support these wineries that are going to struggle. Ask to see the vines, get a better understanding. We will happily take you out on a tour.”
