Itasca is the newest cold-hardy release out of the University of Minnesota Breeding program. Itasca produces a dry white wine that is light yellow to straw in color and has aromas of pear, quince, violet, melon, minerals, and subtle honey notes. Itasca has exhibited lower acidity and higher sugar...
Marquette is rapidly becoming the most popular northern red grape variety. Typically maturing with high sugar content and moderate acidity, Marquette can produce complex wines with attractive ruby color and pronounced tannins, often with notes of cherry, berry, black pepper, and spice.
Frontenac produces grapes with high sugar and high acidity used to produce dry red wine, rosé, and port. Wines typically present aromas of cherry and other red fruits. Acid reducing techniques are often used by the winemaker.
Brianna is a relatively easy to grow variety with good disease resistance and winter hardiness. Produces light, semi-sweet table wines with grapefruit, tropical, and floral characteristics, with a pronounced pineapple nose and flavor when fully ripe.
Bluebell resembles Concord in size and color but matures earlier and is more cold hardy than Concord.
La Crescent is one of the more popular Northern varieties and includes Muscat Hamburg in its geneology. La Crescent has high acidity and is used to produce off-dry to sweet wines, typically with apricot, peach, and citrus characteristics, and is also used for dessert and late harvest wines.
St. Croix produces wines that have been compared to a light to medium burgundy. Sugar content and tannins are low at maturity, but St. Croix has been used both as a varietal and for blending.
Valiant is extremely winter hardy and produces small, compact clusters of small berries that ripen reliably. It is used for juice and jelly where other varieties are not hardy enough to be grown.
Prairie Star is a vigorous vine that produces long, loose clusters, is moderately productive, and does not require cluster thinning. Prairie Star can produce wines that lack foxiness with good hybrid wine quality. Poor fruit set has been seen in some seasons.
Sabrevois is a sister variety of St. Croix with better winter hardiness. Sugar content is typically low and wines can have pleasant fruitiness lacking in body and tannins, so there is potential for blending with other complimentary red hybrids.
Frontenac Blanc is a white-fruited mutation of Frontenac. The variety is relatively new, early wine evaluation suggests it will produce wines distinctly different from Frontenac Gris.
Elvira is vigorous and hardy, producing medium-sized white berries that ripen with Concord. Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions. Absence of cultural problems makes this variety recommended for difficult growing areas. Bunch splitting may force early harvest. Used commercially as a high aci...
Louise Swenson produces small to medium-sized clusters of round, medium-sized berries that turn yellow-gold when ripe. It has naturally low sugar with moderate acidity, wines are light-bodied with a delicate aroma of honey and flowers.
Frontenac Gris is a bud sport of Frontenac, identical in most respects but lacking dark skin color. Frontenac Gris is usually cold pressed to make a white wine that can present aromas of peach and apricot with hints of citrus and tropical fruit.
1103P rootstock provides high scion vigor and is tolerant of high alkalinity (high pH soils), high salinity (salt content), and cotton root rot (generally an issue in high pH soils). It is poor at taking up potassium from the soil and can be used to reduce wine must pH where desired.
The Solaris grape is a hardy and versatile white grape variety, celebrated for producing crisp, aromatic wines and offering excellent disease resistance and cold tolerance. Bred specifically for cooler climates, Solaris is the top grape planted in Scandinavia. This resilient grapevine thrive...
