Frontenac is an interspecific hybrid grapevine that is a result of research and cross-breeding by the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

. It was grown from a crossing of the complex

interspecific hybrid In biology, a hybrid is the offspring resulting from combining the qualities of two organisms of different breeds, varieties, species or genera through sexual reproduction. Hybrids are not always intermediates between their parents (such as in ...

Landot 4511 and a very cold hardy selection of

Vitis riparia ''Vitis riparia'' Michx, with common names riverbank grape or frost grape, is a vine indigenous to North America. As a climbing or trailing vine, it is widely distributed across central and eastern Canada and the central and northeastern parts ...

. It was released in 1996. Frontenac gris is a white wine version of Frontenac, introduced in 2003. It started as a single bud mutation of Frontenac, yielding gray (thus named gris) fruit and amber-colored juice. Frontenac blanc will be introduced in 2012 from white fruited mutations found in both Frontenac and Frontenac gris vines in Minnesota and Canada.

Vine and viticulture

Frontenac Grapes on the Vine Flying Otter Vinyard and Winery Adrian Michigan

The vines produce loose clusters of dark, highly acidic, high sugar berries. Frontenac is quite vigorous, extremely cold hardy (below -30C), highly resistant to

downy mildew Downy mildew refers to any of several types of oomycete microbes that are obligate parasites of plants. Downy mildews exclusively belong to the Peronosporaceae family. In commercial agriculture, they are a particular problem for growers of crucif ...

, and resistant to

powdery mildew Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects a wide range of plants. Powdery mildew diseases are caused by many different species of ascomycete fungi in the order Erysiphales. Powdery mildew is one of the easier plant diseases to identify, as ...

and botrytis. Frontenac grapes are much smaller than traditional grapes and grow in tight clusters. Frontenac grapes produce a mild grape flavor.

Wine characteristics

Frontenac has been used for the production of dry

red wine Red wine is a type of wine made from dark-colored grape varieties. The color of the wine can range from intense violet, typical of young wines, through to brick red for mature wines and brown for older red wines. The juice from most purple grap ...

rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...

, as well as for

fortified wine Fortified wine is a wine to which a distilled spirit, usually brandy, has been added. In the course of some centuries, winemakers have developed many different styles of fortified wine, including port, sherry, madeira, Marsala, Commanda ...

in the style of port. The wines produced from Frontenac typically present aromas of cherry and other red fruits. While producing a pleasing wine, the

ripeness of the grapes In viticulture, ripeness is the completion of the ripening process of wine grapes on the vine which signals the beginning of harvest. What exactly constitutes ripeness will vary depending on what style of wine is being produced ( sparkling, still, ...

is difficult to judge from sugar levels alone, and wine-makers are often challenged by its high acidity and atypical pH levels. Frontenac gris wines present aromas of peach and apricot with hints of enticing citrus and tropical fruit. A brilliant balance of fruit and acidity creates lively, refreshing wines. Unique and complex flavors make this an excellent grape for table, dessert, and ice wines. Initial trial vinifications of Frontenac blanc indicate that it produces wines that are distinctly different from Frontenac gris in flavor and aroma. The University of Minnesota plans to evaluate and characterize Frontenac blanc lines as they are made available.

Regional production

Although the grape has a very short history, its promise as a wine grape for very cold regions has led to many plantings across the northeastern part of the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. The variety is one of the 4 most commonly planted wine grapes in Minnesota, with Frontenac gris, La Crescent, and Marquette.University of Minnesota Grape Website
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References

{{Hybrid grape varieties Red wine grape varieties Hybrid grape varieties