Think cold is tough on Minnesota grapes? Depends on snow and time of year

If there's a single trait that pretty much all Minnesotans share, it's this: We really, really like to talk about the weather.

And there has been a lot to talk about lately, as we continue to endure one of the harshest stretches of winter in recent years. But as much as it might affect our day-to-day lives, it does not necessarily threaten our livelihoods.

However, it does threaten the efforts of the hardy, indefatigable souls who grow the grapes that go into Minnesota's ever-improving wines.

So while denizens of the Twin Cities might occasionally wail "Why do we live here?" these folks are thinking, "Who decided having vineyards in Minnesota was a good idea, and why was it me?"

Or at least they would if they were not such stalwart souls. Here are some takeaways from talking recently with three of these vigorous vintners about the weather, and much more:

It could have been — and has been — a lot worse.

As incredibly painful as the recent 30-below stretch might have seemed, it was nothing compared with the polar vortex winter of 2013-14.

To the north, in Alexandria, Carlos Creek Winery co-owner Tami Bredeson sang much the same tune. "We had far better hardening off this past fall than in 2013, where it dropped to 20-plus below at Thanksgiving," she said. And that winter, we didn't see temps above 20 below for two weeks."

Mother Nature giveth. Mother Nature taketh away.

Snow is a grapevine's best friend in winter.

"We had really good snow cover when [the bitter cold] hit this year," said Jarred McCarthy, vineyard manager at Cannon River Winery in Cannon Falls.

That's a sharp contrast to 2013-14, where a major problem was very low humidity. "Our vines were desiccated," Bredeson said. "The recent spell was colder, but far shorter, with greater snow cover and higher humidity. We tested canes last week, and the buds are green and healthy looking. We are cautiously optimistic."

"Frontenac is the hardiest, bulletproof as far as winter hardiness," McCarthy said. "Then there's La Crosse, which a lot of people say should be more of an Iowa grape."

Hewing toward the stout side is the Itasca, the newest grape from the University of Minnesota. It came through the recent frigidity just fine, said Ellenbecker, who put in three acres of the white grape.

But Round Lake's best winter performer has been, appropriately enough, a red grape called King of the North. Home gardeners who fret every winter over their perennials might find this to their liking, Ellenbecker said.

"It's a really great-growing grape for someone who wants to put vines in their backyard, with big bunches. It tastes like Concord — or your grandma's porch wine."

Unlike other perennials, vines are almost impossible to kill. But they can be mortally wounded, especially when young. Up until they are four or five years old, vines are simply fragile (that's also when they start producing better fruit).

At Carlos Creek, countless vines "died to the ground," said Bredeson, but that doesn't mean the plants were done.

"Even if a winter did kill trunks, the roots would be OK," McCarthy said.

What harsh winter conditions can do is knock out the vines' primary buds, and secondary buds generally don't produce as much in terms of quantity or quality. And that's not the only time this can happen.

Growers actually tend to be more wary of frost, which in late spring can wreak all kinds of havoc.

"No matter the winter, we can still see spring frosts that kill buds," Bredeson said. "Frost depth should be less this year due to ample and early snow cover. Melting snow will add timely moisture that we missed the last few years."

But this being nature, other obstacles can and do arise.

"Fall frost might affect chemistry," McCarthy said, "and last September we had two tornadoes blow through downtown, and we lost power when we were in the middle of fermentation."

Ellenbecker also had to spray his vineyards incessantly last year because of mold. Later in the season, other enemies surface.

"We have deer and robins and raccoons that can eat grapes like you can't believe," Ellenbecker said.

Given all that, 30-below nights might be among the least of growers' issues.