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Frost Fighters at Cedar Ridge

If you’re from the Midwest, you’ll understand this quite well, but we have extreme variance in temperatures throughout the year. In July, it could get to 95 degrees during the day, but at night cool down to the 40s. It’s something that makes each Cedar Ridge product unique, but temperature variance can also cause some stressful moments.

This past week, the Cedar Ridge production team stayed overnight to light small fires all around the property to protect the budding vineyards from freezing Spring temperatures.

“Most people with a green thumb know to throw a bag or blanket over their outdoor plants during a night of frost to protect from damage. But what do you do when you have close to 5,000 plants sitting outside?” said Cedar Ridge Winemaker Kent Foulker.

And not just a little frost at 32 degrees. Over the past week, temperatures dipped down to 24 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Very significant damage can happen if nothing is done about it,” added Foulker.

On April 21 and 22, Head Distiller and Operations Manager Murphy Quint, Vineyard Manager Sam Bolgiano, Head Brewer Jon Rupp, and Foulker spent each night lighting and maintaining fires throughout the vineyards trying to keep the newly budded vines warm.

“A big thanks to Kroul Farms for bringing load after load of chopped wood for us to burn,” said Foulker. “Without these efforts, wines like Atlas, Nine Sixty-Five, and Rose would not exist.”

You’ll see the words, “Authentic By Nature” on our products and on building throughout our property. It may just look like marketing but this statement has a lot of meaning to us. Our “Frost Fighters” are a testament to it!

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