Super Cold Hardy HybridsBruce Bordelon

Jill Blume

Purdue Wine Grape Team

Super Cold Hardy VarietiesUniversity of Minnesota

FrontenacMarquette

Frontenac Gris Frontenac BlancLaCrescentItasca

Super Cold Hardy VarietiesElmer Swenson and Next Gens varieties

Brianna Edelweiss*LaCrosseEspiritOsceola MuscatPrairie StarPetit Ami*St. Pepin

Crimson Pearl*Petite Pearl*SabrevoisSt. CroixSwenson Red*Verona

Elemer Swenson(1913-2004)

*Next Gen Breeders:Dave McGregor

Tom PlocherEd Swanson

Performance in West Central Indiana (Zone 5b)

• Yield • Vigor • Crop load • Phenology (bud break, bloom,

veraison, harvest) • Cold hardiness • Disease susceptibility • Herbicide sensitivity

Relative Date of Budbreak

EarlyEarly April

LaCrescent, Edelweiss, Brianna, Prairie Star, Frontenac gris, Frontenac blanc,Marquette

MidMid April

LaCrosse, Petit Ami, Frontenac(compare to Chardonel, Cayuga, Seyval, Traminette, Noiret, Corot noir)

LateLate April

Petite Pearl(compare to Chambourcin, Norton, Vidal, Vignoles, Villard blanc)

Can be a 3-4 week difference

MarquetteMarch 27, 2012

High Frost Riskearly budding varieties

MarquetteApril 12, 2012

Relative Date of Ripening (Harvest)EarlyHarvest Late Aug in central IN

Edelweiss, Brianna, Prairie Star,Marquette, St. Croix (compare to Foch)

MidHarvest Aug- Sept in central IN

Frontenac Gris, LaCrescent, LaCrosse, Petit Ami, Frontenac(compare to Chardonel, Cayuga, Seyval, Vignoles, Traminette, Noiret, Corot noir)

LateHarvest Sept-Oct in central IN

Petite Pearl (compare to Chambourcin, Norton, Ventura, Vidal, Cabernet Franc)

4 to 6 week range10-14 years of performance at Purdue Meigs Hort Research Farm

Strengths• Excellent wine quality• Very cold hardy• Productive labrusca type• Low TA

Weaknesses• Very high vigor• Early ripening• Low Brix

Vineyard comments • 2009 Little rot/split despite previous

rainy week • 2010 Frost damage • 2014 Fall dieback of canes • Labrusca type - pick early • Very vigorous - 12 ft spacing?

Strengths• Good wine quality• Very cold hardy• Productive labrusca type• Low TA

Weaknesses• Early ripening• Develops foxy flavors• Low Brix• Sensitive to 2,4-D

Vineyard comments • 2011 75% bird damage• 2012 hail damage• 2013 2,4-D damage • 2014 Fall dieback • Labrusca type should be picked early

Strengths• Excellent wine quality• Apricot-like descriptors• Salmon colored juice• Easy to manage• Very cold hardy• Mid-season ripening

Weaknesses• High TA• Bird damage

Vineyard comments • Very similar to Frontenac in

growth habit, fruit chemistry, etc.

Strengths• Excellent wine quality, lemony• Acidic, ice wine styles• Very cold hardy• Mid-season ripening

Weaknesses• Early bud break• High vigor, weedy growth habit• High TA• Off flavors in late harvest• Fruit shelling at harvest• Very susceptible to leaf phylloxera

Vineyard comments • Very vigorous. • Shelling can be a problem

LaCrescentMay 3, 2012

3 weeks after frost

Produced ~3 lb/vine in 2012

Poor fruit set in LaCrescent

Excess vigor in LaCrescent

Strengths• Good wine quality• Very cold hardy• Easy to manage• Consistently productive

Weaknesses• Potential for fruit split / rot• Potential for sunburn• Small, tight clusters• Disease susceptible

Vineyard comments • 2012 Rain cracking and rot • 2013 2,4-D damage • 2014 Fall dieback

Strengths• Good wine quality• Cold hardy• Low TA

Weaknesses• Low vigor, vine size• Early ripening• Poor fruit set• Fall dieback• Low Brix

Vineyard comments • Shot berries• Low pruning wt• High crop load ratio • Later maturity

Strengths• Good wine quality• Mild labrusca• Cold hardy• Very high vigor, vine size

Weaknesses• Early bud break• Early ripening• Vigorous, fall dieback

Vineyard comments • 2010 frost damage • 2014 fall dieback • Tight clusters, some shot berries • Vigorous and productive• Mild labrusca• Higher TA

Frontenac

Strengths• Good wine quality (rosé or port styles)• Very cold hardy• Mid-season ripening, budding• Moderately disease resistant• High sugar

Weaknesses• Very high acid• Bird damage• Very susceptible to leaf phylloxera• Poor fruit set

Vineyard comments• Easy to grow • Very high TA• Birds like, should be netted

Vine decline

Marquette

Strengths• Excellent wine quality• Very cold hardy• Early season ripening• Loose clusters, few rots • Lower TA than other MN varieties

Weaknesses• Susceptible to Phomopsis• Susceptible to ripe rot• Bird magnet - must be netted• Moderate to low yields• Berry shrivel• Trunk hardiness issues

Vineyard comments• Only mod productive • Early budding• Frost prone

Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access institution.

Marquette (May 3, 2012. 3 weeks after frost)

Produced 0 lb/vine in 2012

Crown Gall

Crown Gall

Bird Netting

Bird Damage with Netting

Berry Shrivel, Ripe Rot

Petite Pearl

Strengths• Excellent wine quality• Very cold hardy• Tight clusters• Lower TA than other varieties

Weaknesses• Very low vigor• Low yields

Vineyard comments• Planted in 2008• Healthy vines but very low vigor • Small diameter shoots• Difficult to establish• Small, compact clusters• Very open canopy • Closer vine spacing?

Summary

• Potential for central and northern Indiana • Consumer acceptance of wines has been

good