If farming were a novel, the antagonist in the story would be in the form of Mother Nature. The risk of frost, hail, whipping winds, and unforseen events are always in the minds’ eye of every farmer. So many decisions are guided by pre-empting the unpredictable and keeping watch against an undefeatable foe.

It is rarely said that Old Man Winter or Mother Nature are in the business of doleling out favors, but the Washington Wine Industry may well have found themselves in receipt of one of these rare events.

It can be said in a wine industry reeling from downward sales trends and a shrinking market that none have suffered as greatly as grape growers and bulk wine producers in Washington State. Washington State may be carrying more bulk wine than the State of California. This number is shocking because California grows enough grapes to produce 15 times the wine that the state of Washington does.

Nothing was less needed than a bumper crop in Washington in 2024. Enter Old Man Winter.

Negative 15 degrees was experienced in Walla Walla Valley and sustained damaging temperatures were experienced throughout most growing regions in Eastern Washington last weekend.

Although this wasn’t an ideal scenario for growers, it should place an impetus on the buying of 2023 vintage bulk wines to make up for the impending inventory shortfall on 2024 wines. With local demand increasing, and a gap year on 2024 production gives the Washington wine industry the potential to right size bulk wine inventories, create tank space for 2025 wines and realign with a market on the climb 2-3 years hence.