(Wine-Searcher) - ollowing a disastrous growing season in the Finger Lakes, winemakers get the go-ahead to augment their grape harvests.

After a winter so harsh that the region was declared a federal disaster zone, and an August that has felt more like September, winemakers in New York's Finger Lakes region got some good news – the state will allow many of them to buy in grapes from other parts of the country.

The waiver to use out-of-state grapes, issued by New York’s Department of Agriculture & Markets, comes after last winter’s bone-chilling cold caused extensive bud damage to the vines. It is the first such waiver issued since 2005.

Applying also to other New York State areas such as Long Island, the waiver only applies to 15 grape varieties and to wineries that have suffered more than 40 percent loss. Wineries are required to apply for authorization having demonstrated they cannot purchase the grapes locally.

Anthony Road Wine Company owner John Martini told Wine Searcher in a telephone interview on Tuesday that, while he expects a short crop, "we’re not going to use out-of-state grapes. We will use our own fruit."

But over at Fox Run Vineyards, owner Scott Osborn expects to buy the Riesling grapes he needs after his own vineyard suffered 75 percent bud damage. Fox Run, which makes a total of about 20,000 cases of wine annually, needs between 80 and 100 tons of Riesling grapes a year, he said.