Life Style / Wine Grapes / Frontenac: Vigorous, extremely winter-hardy to -30 deg. F (ca -35 C.), heavy producing and disease resistant V. Riperia 89 x Landot 4511 (Noir) french/american hybrid variety released by the U. Minnesota Research Institute for upper midwest USA conditions in 1995. Pruning to 40-50 buds recommended. Susceptible to Powdery Mildew disease, but near-immunity to Downy Mildew, in excessively humid conditions. Ripens in late mid-season with good sugar content. Important to let fruit hang until fully mature (24-26 brix) in order to reduce troublesome high acids to reasonable levels. Note that the pH does not usually rise to unmanageable levels. Deficient soil potassium content reported to increase acid production while leaf/cluster thinning lowers acid. Used to produce a high quality, full-bodied red wine with cherry/plum aromas and moderate-to-low tannins that usually needs malolactic fermentation to reduce its cool climate acidity. Cold stabilisation seems to have little positive advantage. Blends well with low acid red wines such as Leon Millot. Reportedly contains little trace of the wild V. Riperia herbaceousness. Wine requires malolactic fermentation in order to reduce high acidity. Tannin levels usually relatively low. Recommended for North-Central regions of USA.
Search Google for Frontenac:
Lifestyle / Wine Grapes / Frontenac Gris: Recently developed cultivar by the Horticultural Research Center, Excelsior, Minnesota, USA. Ripens in mid-season with no detectable labrusca flavors. Is reported to be a light-red or grey skinned spo MORE