Vintage Information by State and Year
New Hampshire
2018
The 2018 vintage was a bit cooler than 2017, resulting in wines with freshness that is both nuanced and approachable. Dry during the end of the ripening period and harvest. Overall very good conditions.
2019
The summer of 2019 was unseasonably cool. Fruit was less ripe than normal into mid-September. Then, fortunately, six weeks of warm, dry weather followed enabling fruit to hang on the vines longer than usual.
2020
2021
The 2021 vintage began with high levels of precipitation, which continued midway through the growing season. Luckily dry conditions followed. Yields were moderate, and grape quality suffered a bit due to earlier conditions. Overall some excellent wines were made, but the vintage was a bit challenging.
2022
The 2022 vintage was in many ways the ideal vintage in New Hampshire. Plentiful rain early in the growing season was followed by a dry, warm summer. Autumn was mild and dry. Yields were excellent, and grape quantity and quality were exceptional.
2023
Vermont
2019
The summer of 2019 was an atypical year. A hot and dry summer led to smaller and more concentrated fruit, and the red varieties especially benefited from this vintage.
2020
The 2020 vintage was very warm and dry. That meant fruit had better chance to achieve maximum ripeness and flavor on the vine until harvest.
2021
The 2021 vintage was hot and dry and similar to the 2020 vintage. Vines were stressed from the drought of 2020. Phenolic and sugar ripeness was easily achieved. The wines of 2021 will likely prove to be some of the best Vermont has produced to date.
2022
2023
Pennsylvania
2020
After a lot of primary buds were lost in a May frost, 2020 transformed into a banner vintage. Warm, dry weather led to perfect growing season conditions, resulting in standout vintages of everything from bright, acidic whites to the more challenging barrel-ready reds.
2021
Unstable weather patterns throughout the growing season, ended with excellent weather in the last 2-3 weeks of October. Temperatures remained warmer than usual which seemed to help ripen tannins nicely. Overall, wine quality will be at least average, and for some varieties, a good amount above average.
2022
Mother Nature delivered a near-perfect vintage this year. Abundant sunshine throughout the growing season provided ideal ripening conditions for the grapes. Rainfall arrived at just the right moments, ensuring healthy growth without excess water stress. This perfect balance resulted in exceptional fruit quality and excellent yields, setting the stage for outstanding wines.
2023
Though Pennsylvania's 2023 growing season was a wild ride – extreme heat, spring drought, unpredictable cold snaps, and even a touch of frost tested the vines, while wildfires in Canada choked the air with smoke (thankfully not affecting the grapes themselves). The biggest challenge, however, was increased rainfall. Fortunately, harvest itself saw drier weather, allowing for healthy fruit and setting the stage for wines that will undoubtedly showcase the resilience and character of Pennsylvania grapes.
New Jersey
2020
2021
Heavy rainstorms and floods, tornadoes, birds and spotted lantern flies in various parts of New Jersey threated the grape crop this year, but somehow it escaped serious damage and will yield what winery owners say was a much better harvest than 2020, and a vintage year that could rival 2019.
2022
2023
New York
2015
LONG ISLAND: Following a winter that resulted in a lot of grape vine damage, the 2015 summer was exceedingly sunny with very few rainy days. Drought and near-drought conditions had an impact on the grapes’ natural acidity, leading to early picking, especially of white grapes. Edward Lovaas, winemaker at Pindar Vineyards and Duck Walk Vineyards, said, “The warm, dry weather has given us great fruit, cleaner than normal. The only real downside to the year is the lower acidity.”
2016
LONG ISLAND: The 2016 vintage ended up quite good. Bedell winemaker Richard Olsen-Harbich puts it succinctly: “The heat of August and early September really accelerated ripening and the second half of the month and the first week of October cooled down nicely to cruise slowly to the finish line. All varieties came in with great flavor and perfect acidity. It’s a quintessential Long Island vintage where we’ll produce our signature style of wines with low alcohol and great balance.”
2017
FINGER LAKES: September and October were warmer than average. September was warmer and dryer than average. October was much warmer than average and about average rainfall up until a tropical storm just before Halloween. There is no question that the fall ensured the quality of the vintage and produced a very large crop. Grapes had close to average sugars, higher acidities, slightly lower pHs and expressive flavors.
LONG ISLAND: 2017 was an unusual season on Long Island: there were wide fluctuations in temperatures month to month. Slightly cooler than normal temperatures prevailed in spring and again in August and early September. October, on the other hand, was unusually warm. Vineyard managers were forced to be patient with ripening, which was one to two weeks later than normal. Overall, the 2017 harvest had clean, bright, balanced fruit with subtle, nuanced flavors.
2018
FINGER LAKES: Mid-August and October were especially wet. 2018 required vigilance to maintain vineyard hygiene, sharp eyes on fruit condition and rapid response within a relatively narrow harvest window. Timing and selection were the keys to success, and winegrowers adopted a two-pronged approach of harvesting before the onset of botrytis and dropping undesirable grapes in the vineyard.
LONG ISLAND: Many winemakers described the 2018 vintage and harvest as difficult, the result of a rainy fall that made winemaking unpredictable. Despite a tricky year with a fair amount of rainfall, many winemakers were able to achieve excellent flavor development, with bright, natural acidity, providing structure and balance.
2019
FINGER LAKES: The 2019 vintage was unusually cool with more than sufficient moisture during the fall. The fruit for this wine is harvested earlier to ensure a crisp, refreshing sparkling character.
HUDSON RIVER REGION: The late spring's cool, wet weather limited the grapes' potential sugar development, but ideal fall conditions included sunny days balanced by cool nighttime temperatures. Dry weather with only occasional light rain followed by sunshine the next day was common. This year's vintage provided the perfect conditions.
LONG ISLAND: 2019 was a banner vintage. Spring saw relatively cool temps and greater than average rainfall, but near perfect summer and early fall conditions more than made up for it. September was particularly ideal, with warm temps and very little rainfall. The fruit came in clean and with ripeness levels higher than we’ve seen since 2013, all balanced by fresh acidity. 2019 wines will be expressive and beautifully balanced.
2020
FINGER LAKES: The 2020 vintage was very warm and dry. That meant fruit had a better chance to achieve maximum ripeness and flavor on the vine until harvest.
HUDSON RIVER REGION: The 2020 vintage was undoubtedly one of the most challenging in recent history. A hot, dry vintage. Grapes achieved enough ripeness to make big red wines with intense concentration and silky tannins. The Covid pandemic continued to ravage 2020 with everything from picking, tastings and sales affected.
LONG ISLAND: 2020 saw extremes on either end of the growing season. Spring and summer were close to flawless. Warm, dry conditions pushed ripening along at a faster than average pace, but dewy mornings necessitated leaf pulling to promote air circulation. Grapes for sparkling, whites and rosé were all picked under ideal, sunny conditions with many lots at record ripeness. In mid-late October, however, three weeks of heavy intermittent rainfall proved challenging. Kareem Massoud, president of Long Island Wine Country, said that the “big change over prior years is that everyone will be required to wear a mask at all times.”
2021
FINGER LAKES: Lots of rainfall resulted in high yields. Little frost damage but some berry swelling due to heavy rains. Gorgeous reds and variable whites will be the theme for 2021 Finger Lakes wines.
HUDSON RIVER REGION: 2021 was an ideal vintage for the Hudson River Region. It was warm and dry throughout the growing season. This allowed the vineyards to ripen to optimal physiological ripeness, thereby accumulating maximum flavor and phenolics.
LONG ISLAND: 2021 was a challenging vintage. Spring was warm and promising, summer was hot and wet, and fall was a bit wild, with several heavy rain events. Early October heat and sunshine saved the day, though, and advanced ripening enough to deliver quality fruit. Wines will be subtle and balanced because of low sugar levels but mature flavors.
2022
LONG ISLAND: An excellent vintage. After a large crop in 2021 a mild following winter was welcome. The grapevines were able to rest and reserve their resources for the growing season ahead. When May brought warm temperatures bud break led to early steady canopy growth. A good start to a long season. There were some heavy rainfalls in June, when grapevines flower, but the rain came and passed quickly leading to little harm. Then the temperatures rose and stayed high through the summer, with dry conditions leading to drought warnings from forecasters. The vines thrived in this weather and drip irrigation ensured that the canopies never got too stressed out.
2023
HUDSON RIVER REGION: Unpredictability reigns supreme in the Hudson Valley wine scene, according to Matthew Spaccarelli, a seasoned grower with Fjord Vineyards and Benmarl Winery (Farm Winery License no. 01). Since 2006, he's witnessed a constant barrage of challenges – harsh winter lows, early bud break, late frosts, spring droughts, and the ever-present threat of summer extremes, be it drought or hurricanes. This year is no different. While vigorous vine growth, fueled by abundant summer rains, might seem like a positive turn after past hardships, it also creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew, keeping growers on their toes with extra spraying and vigilance.
LONG ISLAND: The 2023 grape growing season defied expectations. A mild winter with minimal snow gave way to a devastating cold snap in February, damaging buds across the region. Thankfully, strong winds in some areas mitigated the worst of the damage. An early burst of hot weather in April kickstarted an unusually early bud break, two weeks ahead of schedule – the earliest since 2012. However, spring abruptly shifted, becoming cool and dry. May and June saw temperatures struggle to reach 75 degrees Fahrenheit, with little to no rain. This dramatic change put the vines a full two weeks behind schedule, a setback they wouldn't overcome.
Maryland
2020
2021
2021 proved to be a considerably good growing season for vinifera and hybrid grapes cultivated in Maryland’s five local growing regions. Despite some wet days and the impact of rain from Hurricane Ida, the climate remained favorable to cultivating locally grown grapes that will produce great-tasting wines. Early ripening grapes were picked before many of the wet days, and many grapes that hung through the rain were able to be harvested unscathed. Overall a successful vintage.
2022
2022 presented many challenges to grape growers. A late spring frost resulted in a large reduction of primary buds; some producers found this particularly challenging as shipping delays kept frost mitigation equipment from arriving in time. Rainy conditions heightened mildew pressure during July and August. Late veraison was followed by ideal conditions. A difficult vintage, but some quite good fruit.
2023
Ideal dry conditions from June to August significantly accelerated grape development in 2023, allowing producers to finish picking a month ahead of schedule.
"This year's harvest was truly fast and furious," says Ray Mitcham, head winemaker at Linganore Winecellars. "The dry weather during the critical growing months was a blessing, leading to smaller but exceptionally concentrated grapes."
Despite the reduced size of the fruit, Mitcham emphasizes the extraordinary quality. "This is certainly one of the best years of fruit I've seen here at Linganore, and potentially even the best of my entire 19-year career in the mid-Atlantic," he enthuses. "While the 2007 and 2010 vintages from Southern Pennsylvania were remarkable, I believe this year's harvest has the potential to rival, and possibly even surpass, them."
Wine enthusiasts can eagerly anticipate the release of these promising 2023 wines from Linganore Winecellars.
Ohio
2020
Ohio vineyards suffered frost damage in the spring of 2020 that adversely impacted yields of certain grape varietals, but growing conditions improved through the rest of the season. Many Ohio winemakers believe their 2020 wines will be as good as two other stellar vintages of the last decade, 2010 and 2017, Winchell says. And a strong vintage 2020 will help provide a lifeline for Ohio wineries recovering from the impact of the coronavirus. “2020 brought an exceptionally long harvest season,” says Donniella Winchell, executive director of the Ohio Wine Producers Association. “And it turned out to be an incredible vintage.”
2021
2022
2023
Michigan
2020
NORTHERN MICHIGAN: Michigan State University Extension specialist Nikki Rothwell is brimming with excitement about the 2023 wine grape harvest. "Growers – and winemakers – are super excited for this vintage," she reports, crediting ideal weather conditions throughout the growing season. "We had good weather for growing fruit in general," Rothwell, who also co-owns Tandem Ciders in Suttons Bay, explains. "We have had quite a hot summer, which has been great for wine grapes. We had good sunny and warm days with rain events that came at good times." These favorable conditions, with plenty of sunshine and well-timed rain showers, have resulted in exceptional fruit quality. Wine lovers can eagerly anticipate robust, full-bodied wines hitting the shelves this fall.
2021
NORTHERN MICHIGAN: Overall, 2021 actually had very mild weather, with ample rainfall and warm temperatures. One of the debilitating factors was one that reappeared from 2020: the smoke haze emanating from the Canadian wildfires. July offered more rain than usual, keeping the vines vigorous and healthy, with little drought stress. When harvest arrived in early October, temperatures remained relatively warm and dry.
2022
NORTHERN MICHIGAN: Despite a late-season scare from heavy September rains that brought disease pressure, the northwest Michigan wine grape harvest is underway and shaping up to be a successful one. The hot, dry summer conditions provided ideal circumstances for grape growth, with Nikki Rothwell, a fruit specialist with Michigan State University Extension, noting the positive impact on sugar content: "We didn't have a lot of rain overall this season," she said, "and that usually leads to really nice wines at the end of the season." However, a significant rainfall event in September threatened to disrupt the harvest by increasing the risk of fungus and mildew due to swollen grapes. Thankfully, warm October days followed by cool nights offered a saving grace. The warm days allowed sugar levels to reach optimal levels, while the cool nights preserved acidity and minimized rot.
2023
NORTHERN MICHIGAN: The 2023 grape growing season in Northern Michigan was a true test of resilience. Vineyards braved everything from drought to heavy rain, scorching heat to wildfire haze, and idyllic Septembers to blustery Octobers. Despite these challenges, early reports suggest a high-quality and plentiful harvest. Winemakers credit a late-season warm spell in September for pushing the grapes to ripeness, potentially making 2023 a vintage for the record books. While smoke from Canadian wildfires raised concerns, experts believe the haze wasn't dense enough to impact the grapes. Overall, the outlook for Leelanau County's 2023 wines is promising, with winemakers like Robert Brengman comparing it favorably to past exceptional years.