University of Minnesota Grape Breeding Program

Grape breeding at the University of Minnesota has deep institutional roots, with horticulturists at the university working on cold-hardy varieties as far back as the late 19th century. The modern wine grape breeding effort, however, took shape in the mid-1970s, building on the foundational work of collaborators such as Patrick Pierquet, who gathered Vitis riparia samples from across the region, and private breeder Elmer Swenson, widely called the grandfather of the Upper Midwest wine industry, who made crosses on his Wisconsin farm for decades and co-released early varieties with the university including Edelweiss in 1977. The formal wine grape breeding program was invigorated in 1985 when Peter Hemstad joined the effort, and he and principal investigator James Luby would go on to develop the core Frontenac family and Marquette. In 2000, a dedicated enology lab and research winery opened at the Horticultural Research Center. In 2015, grape breeding was separated from the broader fruit breeding program and combined with enology under a new structure; Matthew Clark was hired as program leader that year. In October 2023, Dr. Soon Li Teh joined as the new team leader, bringing expanded focus on table grapes and sustainable production.

• Early collaborator Elmer Swenson co-released Edelweiss with UMN in 1977; its breeding history dates to the 1950s
• Peter Hemstad joined in 1985 and drove the modern wine grape program, partnering with James Luby to produce Frontenac, La Crescent, and Marquette
• A dedicated enology lab and research winery opened at the Horticultural Research Center in 2000
• Matthew Clark led the program from 2015 until Dr. Soon Li Teh took over as director in October 2023

The program's central mission is to produce wine grape cultivars that are simultaneously cold-hardy, disease-resistant, and capable of making high-quality wine. The genetic foundation centers on Vitis riparia, Minnesota's native grape and one of the most cold-hardy Vitis species in the world, which contributes extreme freeze tolerance and disease resistance. This is crossed with classic Vitis vinifera cultivars and quality French hybrids to import wine quality traits. Thousands of seedlings are produced each year from this diverse genetic base, and more than 100 UMN selections are in advanced testing at any time, alongside more than 400 named varieties from other programs worldwide. Beyond cold hardiness, breeders evaluate productivity, cluster size, growth habit, bud break timing, and ripening dates. Developing a new variety is a long-term commitment: the process of cross-pollinating by hand, cloning seedlings from cuttings, and evaluating vine performance across multiple winters typically takes 10 to 15 years. Modern tools including DNA sequencing and mass spectrometry are used to understand seedlings' genetic makeup and fruit chemistry before they ever reach a winery.

• Vitis riparia, Minnesota's native frost grape, is the key source of cold hardiness and disease resistance in most UMN varieties
• More than 100 UMN selections are in advanced trials at any time, alongside 400-plus varieties from other global programs
• Developing a new variety typically takes 10 to 15 years from the initial cross to official release
• DNA sequencing and mass spectrometry are used to assess genetic makeup and fruit quality potential in experimental seedlings

The program has released 13 varieties in total, with the wine-focused releases of the 21st century representing its most commercially impactful work. Frontenac, released in 1996 from a 1978 cross of Vitis riparia 89 and the French hybrid Landot 4511, was the first major licensed wine grape and the cultivar that catalyzed a regional industry. Frontenac Gris (2003), a bud sport discovered on the original Frontenac vine at the Horticultural Research Center, produces bronze-skinned berries yielding clean white wines with apricot and peach notes. La Crescent (2002), a cross incorporating approximately 45 percent Vitis vinifera, 28 percent Vitis riparia, and lesser amounts of other species, produces aromatic white wines with apricot, peach, citrus, and pineapple aromas, typically in a semi-sweet or sweet style due to its high sugar and acidity. Marquette (2006), originating from a 1989 cross between MN 1094 and the French hybrid Ravat 262 (which counts Pinot Noir among its parents), produces complex dry red wines with cherry and dark fruit notes and moderate tannins. Itasca (2017), a cross of Frontenac Gris and MN 1234, broke new ground as the first cold-hardy variety with sufficiently low acidity to produce high-quality dry white wines. Clarion (2022), researched for over 20 years under the name MN1220, produces dry white wines with citrus, pear, melon, apricot, and chamomile characters, with some evaluators comparing the style to Southern Hemisphere Sauvignon Blanc.

• Frontenac (1996): cross of V. riparia 89 and Landot 4511; red wine grape surviving to -35 degrees F; cornerstone of the Upper Midwest wine industry
• Marquette (2006): complex cross including Pinot Noir lineage via Ravat 262; produces vinifera-like dry reds with cherry and dark fruit; most widely planted red in Minnesota
• Itasca (2017): first cold-hardy white variety with naturally low acidity suited to dry wine styles; over 100,000 vines sold since release
• Clarion (2022): released as an open variety; best suited to USDA Zone 5; produces dry whites compared to Southern Hemisphere Sauvignon Blanc in style

Cold hardiness is the defining trait of all UMN wine varieties and what makes them commercially viable in climates where Vitis vinifera cannot survive without expensive winter burial. All flagship UMN varieties have borne full crops after temperatures of minus 30 degrees F or colder, making them among the hardiest cultivated wine grapes in the world. Frontenac, the hardiest of the reds, can survive to approximately minus 35 degrees F. Itasca demonstrated exceptional resilience during the 2014 polar vortex, surviving minus 31 degrees F with over 60 percent primary bud survival, outperforming Frontenac, La Crescent, Marquette, and Brianna in that event. The commercial potential for these varieties extends well beyond Minnesota into USDA Zones 4 and 5 across the Upper Midwest, New England, the Finger Lakes, and Canada. Key viticultural factors for success include siting on elevated ground with good air drainage to avoid spring frosts, and managing crop load carefully since overcropping in any given year substantially reduces the vine's cold hardiness the following winter. Training systems including high cordon and vertical shoot positioning are both used, with variety-specific recommendations available from the program.

• All flagship UMN varieties have produced full crops after temperatures of minus 30 degrees F or colder
• Itasca survived minus 31 degrees F with over 60 percent primary bud survival during the 2014 polar vortex
• Frontenac gris, Itasca, La Crescent, and Marquette are patented and require a license for commercial propagation
• Overcropping or poor disease management in the prior season will substantially reduce cold hardiness, regardless of variety

The UMN program's contribution to the Upper Midwest wine industry is transformational. In the 1980s, Minnesota had just two wineries; following the release of Frontenac and subsequent UMN cultivars, the state grew to approximately 80 wineries. Since Frontenac's 1996 release, producers in 12 states have planted an estimated 5,400 acres of cold-hardy grapes, of which 3,260 acres are UMN varieties. The cold-climate grape growing and winery industry was estimated to have a $401 million economic impact nationwide as of a 2014 study. Within Minnesota alone, cold-hardy vineyards and wineries generated more than $80.3 million in economic activity and supported more than 10,500 jobs in 2016. The program has extended its reach far beyond Minnesota: UMN varieties are now planted in Vermont, Michigan, New York's Finger Lakes and Hudson Valley regions, and Canadian provinces, creating a cold-climate wine industry where none previously existed. Wines made from Marquette have won Best of Class at major competitions including the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, helping shift broader perceptions of cold-climate hybrid wines.

• Minnesota grew from 2 wineries in the 1980s to approximately 80 following UMN cold-hardy releases
• Since 1996, an estimated 3,260 acres of UMN varieties have been planted across 12 states
• The cold-climate grape and winery industry had an estimated $401 million nationwide economic impact as of 2014
• UMN varieties are now grown in Vermont, Michigan, New York, and Canadian provinces, creating wine industries in previously unsuitable regions

Under the leadership of Dr. Soon Li Teh, who joined as director in October 2023, the program is expanding its scope. While the development of cold-hardy wine cultivars remains central, strong consumer interest in locally grown produce has driven a major new focus on cold-hardy seedless table grapes, with three new table grape selections in advanced evaluation as of 2024. The program also participates in the USDA SCRI-funded VitisGen project, now administered through UMN, which focuses on developing grape varieties with greater disease resistance, including the identification and testing of new genes for powdery mildew resistance and sustainable management practices. The program is based within the Department of Horticultural Science at the College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences, with research supported by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Visitors can see all released UMN grape varieties planted at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's Farm at the Arb.

• Dr. Soon Li Teh joined as program director in October 2023, expanding focus to include cold-hardy table grapes
• Three new table grape selections were in advanced evaluation as of 2024, targeting cold-hardy seedless varieties
• The program participates in the USDA SCRI VitisGen project, targeting new genes for powdery mildew resistance
• All released UMN varieties are on display at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's Farm at the Arb in Chaska, Minnesota