Weather

Prolonged spells of hot, dry weather at the end of the grape-growing season typically reduce a vineyard’s yield, because the grapes stay relatively small. In years with such weather, wine producers can make only a relatively small quantity of wine from a given area of vineyards. Nonetheless, in regions where wine producers generally grow their own grapes, analysts typically expect a long, hot, dry spell late in the growing season to result in increased revenues for local wine producers.

Which of the following, if true, does most to justify the analysts’ expectation?

(A) The lower a vineyard’s yield, the less labor is required to harvest the grapes.
(B) Long, hot, dry spells at the beginning of the grape-growing season are rare, but they can have a devastating effect on a vineyard’s yield.
(C) Grapes grown for wine production are typically made into wine at or near the vineyard in which
they were grown.
(D) When hot, dry spells are followed by heavy rains, the rains frequently destroy grape crops.
(E) Grapes that have matured in hot, dry weather make significantly better wine than ordinary grapes.

OA E