I grow grapes and make wine as a hobby but I spend a lot of time on both. Last Sunday we had cold weather here in the Kansas City area and at 5:30 AM the temperature in the vineyard was 28F. Here are the results; Vidal, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon did best. Almost no damage. Vignoles and Chardonnay had about 10% of shoots frozen. There are a few Chardonel vines in the Chardonnay row that haven't died out and they suffered more damage than Chardonnay. There was about 20% damage to my Baco Noir and the shoots on these vines were the longest at about 6 inches. Worst were Chambourcin and NY73. About 75% of the shoots on these vines were frozen. I've been growing the vinifera vines for four years now and aside from our normal cold winters this is the first exposure to freezing temperatures after buds have opened. I was surprised at how well they did. The loss of Chambourcin and NY73 is a disappointment as a blend of these grapes makes a great red wine in my area. I'll still have enough of each to make a small barrel if Mother Nature gives us a pass on hail.
Bill Frazier Olathe, Kansas USA