The Vineyard
Red Wine Grapes
SABREVOIS
Red wine sister seedling of St. Croix . Coming to notice in Quebec, where it has become well established and named for town there. Hardier, more vigorous, heavy producer, extremely disease resistant, said to make more complex wine then St. Croix . Ripens with higher acid than St. Croix – otherwise appears to be a superior variety. Needs a big trellis to handle vigor.
FRONTENAC
A red wine release from the University of Minnesota. Has good hardiness and is able to bear heavily. Seems immune to downy mildew but has moderate susceptibility to black rot and powdery mildew. Very prone to Anthracnose and Phylloxera which can be a problem some years. Wine is medium bodied with delightful cherry and plum flavors. Acid is often high and must be dealt with.
kING OF THE NORTH
Apparently and accidental wild/domestic hybrid form southern Wisconsin with great hardiness, vigor and production capacity. Ripens quite late with high acid but when finished somewhat sweet produces a rich, fruity, aromatic Concord-style red wine which has met consumer acceptance in many areas. Needs large trellis to be grown successfully.
sT. CROIX
Productive juicy blue grape with medium berries and clusters, ripening about with FOCH. ST. CROIX makes a vinifera-style wine that has won prizes in Minnesota and National competitions.
WHITE WINE GRAPES
BRIANNA
White wine grape with a greenish-gold color and a thick skin. Also good as a seeded table grape. A French-American hybrid bred by Elmer Swenson.
Frontenac blanc
Identical to Frontenac and Frontenac Gris except for the color. Disease resistant and extremely hardy. Makes white wine. Early indications have shown a distinctive taste and aroma from it’s siblings.
PRAIRIE STAR
Good vigor and bearing capacity, reliability couples with excellent cold hardiness. Produces a neutral or California style white wine. Often used as a blending wine (excellent balance & body), it makes a suitable varietal some seasons. Ripens mid-season with acid below 1% and sugar over 20%.
LOUISE (SWENSON)
Moderate vigor and good productivity. Has shown to be excellent culturally in cold regions with excellent reliability. Wine is flowery & aromatic with honey flavors. However, it tends to be light in body and alcohol and often used for blending with Prairie Star or La Crosse. Ripens mid-season.
frontenac gris
A color mutation of the original Frontenac vine. Fruit is bronze in color & produces a nearly white juice with slight salmon tinge when pressed w/o skin contact. Wine is apricot or peach in flavor not similar to original Frontenac. Also useful as a rose or cherry colored ice wine, which makes it valuable as a sparkling wine variety as well. Culturally the vine appears to be identical to Frontenac in appearance & growth characteristics.
la crescent
University of Minnesota production. Produces a white wine with delicious pineapple & apricot flavor when finished sweet as a desert or cocktail wine. Vine of good vigor & hardiness. Producing a beautiful golden fruit, its major fault is a notable susceptibility to downy mildew.
swenson white
Excellent white wine grape. Disease-resistant. Large, yellow thick-skinned fruit.