WASHINGTON 鈥� The rain isn’t just dampening the weekend across the area 鈥斅爄t’s also affecting the bottom line at some Virginia’s wineries.
Things are a bit soggy at in Loudoun County where owner Todd Henkle is fighting to see his 16 acres of young grapes through to harvest.
“In the vineyard, we’re managing a聽 lot of issues that revolve around disease or pests, and a lot of rain just exacerbates that problem,” Henkle said.
But if a聽lot of rain must聽fall, better now than in September, he said, because the grapes still have time to recover.
“In terms of its impact on the wine, it’s just too early to tell,”聽Henkle said.
That said,聽without the picnic weather that many associate with a perfect day to head to the country, winery visitors have dropped off.
“What you find is when the rain does pass you see a pop. The people who thought they were going to go in May but didn’t will also go in June,” said Annette Boyd with the
Oftentimes, vintners have seen a 20 percent bump in visitors following a slow month, so visitation usually averages out, Boyd said.
With plenty of seating a quiet winery, Boyd said visitors can enjoy a more attentive聽tasting experience, if they want to go when the weather isn’t聽sunny.
