Humidity could pose threat to winemakers’ harvest

EDEN, Md. – With a little luck and a prayer to mother nature to favor their crops, local winemakers are hoping the good weather sticks around so that their grapes continue to flourish.

“I’ve got my fingers crossed. The clusters are nice and full, and the vines are growing with no signs of disease,” said Bordeleau Vineyards & Winery owner Tom Shelton.

After heavy rain destroyed most of their grapes last year, winemakers are working around the clock to make sure they bear the fruits of their labor this coming harvest. But it’s no easy feat.

“We have still had rain very frequently so it’s been tough, and we’ve been having to use all the tools in our toolbox to fight it,” said Owner of Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery Adrian Mobilia.

While a rainy forecast seems nowhere to be found right now, local winemakers say there’s another threat to their grapes lurking during these warm summer days. The humidity.

“Right now we’re having a period of high humidity, high heat. So if we get some overnight dew you’ve got some moisture sitting on the leaves, sitting on the berries,” Mobilia explained.

Which can be detrimental to their crops.

“They are much more prone to fungal diseases if that happens,” Shelton said.

“All you need is four to six hours of that period to create an infection period. So we’ve been having to spray every 10 days or so,” said Mobilia.

And while the fate of their harvest still remains up in the air, these winemakers say all they can do is stay hopeful and ready to battle whatever comes their way.