Danish winemaker lights 800 candles to save grape harvest from frost

A Danish winemaker has launched an unusual effort to protect his vineyard from late spring frost, enlisting volunteers to light 800 candles and 20 kilograms of charcoal briquettes overnight, DR reports.

Frederik Bjørk, owner of Haslev Vineyard in eastern Denmark, took emergency action after forecasts warned of nighttime frost—just as his grapevines had begun budding earlier than usual due to warm May weather. Frost at this stage can destroy the fragile new shoots, threatening the entire harvest.

“The last two weeks have been sunny with great weather in Denmark, so the vines have budded earlier than normal,” Bjørk explained. “Once they’ve budded, they can’t handle frost.”

Inspired by frost-protection methods used in southern European vineyards—though ruling out diesel burners for environmental reasons—Bjørk opted for candles and coconut-shell briquettes. On Wednesday, 25 local volunteers prepared the materials, and eight returned in the early hours of Friday to tend the flames from 3 AM to 5:30 AM.

“The community really rallied to support the local vineyard. It was fantastic,” Bjørk said, adding that he recruited helpers via Facebook and Instagram.

Torben Bo Toldam-Andersen, a fruit cultivation expert at the University of Copenhagen, confirmed the vulnerability of budding vines: “During bud break, plants become sensitive to low temperatures. While they tolerate winter frost, the new growth cannot survive spring frost.”

Other frost-fighting techniques include sprinkler systems or wind machines to mix air layers, but Bjørk focused on his three highest-quality parcels. “These produce the best grapes and the best wine,” he noted.

The success of the effort remains uncertain. “We’ll know in a few days—if the buds turn brown, they’re dead,” Bjørk said. Each bud contains three potential shoots, but only the first is fertile. “You have one shot, and the goal is to protect it as best you can.”

Late spring frosts may become a growing challenge for Danish growers, according to Toldam-Andersen: “We’ve seen more cases of spring frost damage in recent decades than in the past. It’s likely an increasing problem, though it also depends on the varieties grown and local conditions.”