Varieties of Wine Grapes for Cold Climates

Traminette

• Gewurztraminer wine provides an interesting combination of sweet and spicy flavors. However, the Guwurztraminer grape itself is difficult to grow in cold weather climates. To make it more accessible to cold weather growers, Cornell University crossed the grape with the Joannes Seyve variety. The resulting grape is called Traminette. It maintains the interesting flavor characteristics of Guwurztraminer, but is able to be grown in northern climates.

Riesling

• Riesling is a grape with a very long tradition; it has been grown in Germany since the 1400s. Riesling is a fruity wine and the aroma often reminds people of apples. It also holds strong floral notes. Riesling is a German wine, but the vine is so well suited to cold weather that it can be grown successfully in any region that grows wine grapes.

Marquette

• Marquette is a red wine grape variety suitable for growing in cold weather. It is related to the famed Pinot Noir grape. Flavors such as pepper and cherry are found in the wine, and the grape typically produces wine that is ruby in color. This grape survives in climates so cold that it can be successfully grown in Minnesota.

Frontenac

• Frontenac is another cold weather grape that survives the cold climes of the Minnesota winter. This hardy variety was developed at the University of Minnesota specifically for the purpose of obtaining a flavorful red wine that could be grown in the region. Even if temperatures strike -30 degrees Fahrenheit, the grape still produces a crop. Wine made from Frontenac grapes should emerge garnet in color.