New Cold-Hardy Wine Grape Proving Hugely Popular
October 15, 2020 A wine grape variety released three years ago by the University of Minnesota is producing wines that look like a hit.
According an article in the to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the wine grape ‘Itasca’ is being hailed as at least a “breakthrough” and more likely a “game changer” for the state’s still-nascent wine industry.
One winemaker even likened the 2017 University of Minnesota release to what the research center achieved with ‘Honeycrisp’ and ‘Zestar’ apples.
“What the U did with the apples, they’re there with ‘Itasca’,” Greg Peterson, owner and winemaker of Wild Oaks Ranch in Lakeville, told the newspaper, adding that the 2019 ‘Itascas’ have proven hugely popular at tasting rooms.
‘Itasca’ produces a wine that is light yellow to straw in color and has aromas of pear, quince, violet, melon, minerals, and subtle honey notes.
According to the university, the new grape, which is used to make dry white wines, is just one of a series of cold-hardy cultivars released by the university that led to the nascent wine industry in Minnesota and other northern climates around the world. Other varieties in the series include ‘Frontenac’, ‘Frontenac Gris’, ‘La Crescent’, and ‘Marquette’.
‘Itasca’ has lower acidity and high sugar levels, according to University of Minnesota Grape Breeder Matt Clark, coupled with high resistance to common grape pests, such as downy and powdery mildew and the insect phylloxera. It has shown cold hardiness as far north as the USDA’s Zone 4.
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