Midwest Wine Press

Southern Ill. Vines Dormant Despite Warmth

by · February 7, 2012

According to David Ponce,  Owner and Winemaker at Monte Allegre Vineyard and Cellars in far southern Carbondale, Illinois,  the primary buds on his grape vines are not swelling despite unseasonably warm weather.   Reports from grape producing regions of Missouri this week described budding trees and fears from grape growers that their vines could also be prematurely exposed if warm weather persists.    The average January temperature in Cape Girardeau, MO, which is at the same latitude as many Illinois and Missouri vineyards,  was 47 degrees which is 12 degrees above average.     While Ponce said that he is nervous about the warm winter,  he is reassured by cool nights and soil temperatures below the 55 degree levels where sap would start to rise.   Midwest fruit growers don’t want a repeat of the winter of 2007 where exceptional warmth was followed by a prolonged hard frost in April.   Forecast high temperatures for Southern Illinois are in the 30’s and 40’s through February 13th.

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Mark Ganchiff

Mark Ganchiff is the publisher of Midwest Wine Press, the leading source of news on the growing wine industry in the central United States. Mark has been a wine judge at the 2012 and 2014 INDY International Wine Competition, the 2014 Cold Climate Wine Competition, the 2013 Mid-American Wine Competition, the 2012 Illinois State Fair Wine Competition and the 2013 Michigan Wine Competition. He also enjoys speaking at wine events including the Cold Climate Wine Conference, the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association Annual Meeting, the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference and the Wisconsin Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Mark's articles about regional wine have appeared in Vineyard & Winery Management, WineMaker and several regional magazines. Mark is a Level One Sommelier in the Court of Master Sommeliers. He lives in Louisville, but also has a residence in Chicago.

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