KSV Wine Grape Varieties

Niagra

Niagara is an attractive, productive and vigorous variety with large, slipskin berries, juicy with a strong foxy flavor. Niagara is the leading green grape grown in the United States, used as a table grape and for
juices and sweet wines. Although it has a following, Niagara is not known as a high-quality wine grape as it tends to have an abundance of “foxy” flavors and aromas, especially when ripe; harvest at 14° brix or earlier  for wine production.

Marquette

Marquette is a promising red wine variety that combines high levels of cold hardiness, disease resistance, and excellent wine quality. It has withstood temperatures as low as -36F without serious injury. Moderate disease resistance to infestation by foliar phylloxera. Wines made with Marquette have an attractive deep red color, with aromas of cherry, black pepper, spice, black currant, and berry. Best as a medium-bodied red table wine.

Cayuga White

Cayuga White is one of the most productive and disease-resistant varieties grown in New York- Cornell University’s first variety released specifically for wine making. This versatile grape can be made into a semi-dry or sweet wine emphasizing the fruit aromas, or using oak aging, into a dry, less fruity wine. Excellent cultural characteristics and high wine quality promise an important future for this variety. Great
cocktail wine with hors d’oeuvres, pork, ham, chicken in cream sauce, and some Asian cuisine.

Steuben

Vines of Steuben are hardy, vigorous, and easily grown, producing large bluish-black slipskin grapes that resist cracking. Cluster thinning is usually required. Grapes are delicious, sweet and tender with a spicy tang. Very good as a table grape, and makes an excellent red wine.

Marechal Foch

Marechal Foch is a very early ripening black grape with small berries. Vines are hardy with medium vigor and production. Marechal Foch can be made into a variety of wines ranging from a light red wine similar to Beaujolais, to a more extracted wine with intense dark purple color, black fruit flavor, and a unique varietal character, to a sweet, fortified, port style wine.

Frontenac

The vines produce loose clusters of dark, highly acidic, high sugar berries. Frontenac is quite vigorous, extremely cold hardy (below -30C), highly resistant to downy mildew and resistant to  powdery mildew and botrytis. Frontenac grapes are much smaller than traditional grapes and grow in tight clusters. Frontenac grapes produce a mild grape flavor.

Frontenac has been used for the production of dry red wines, rose, as well as for fortified  in the style of port. The wines produced from Frontenac typically present aromas of cherry and other red fruits.

While producing a pleasing wine, the ripeness of the grapes is difficult to judge from sugar levels alone, and wine-makers are often challenged by its high acidity and atypical pH levels.

Frontenac Gris

Frontenac Gris is a bud sport of Frontenac, identical in most respects but lacking dark skin color. Frontenac Gris is usually cold pressed to make a white wine that can present aromas of peach and apricot with hints of citrus and tropical fruit. A brilliant balance of fruit and acidity creates lively, refreshing wines. Unique and complex flavors make this an excellent grape for table, dessert, and ice wines

Frontenac Blanc

Initial trial vinifications of Frontenac Blanc indicate that it produces wines that are distinctly different from Frontenac gris in flavor and aroma. The University of Minnesota plans to evaluate and characterize Frontenac blanc lines as they are made available

Espirit

Esprit produces large clusters of large white berries with a mild fruity flavor. Swenson described wines from Esprit as excellent and absent of Labrusca flavor and aroma. One of the least hardy Swenson crosses.

Corot Noir

Corot Noir vines are vigorous and productive with good powdery mildew and botrytis fruit rot resistance. Fruit maturity is late, and cluster thinning is usually required to avoid over-cropping. Corot Noir produces a dry red wine with medium color and pronounced cherry and berry fruit aromas. The wine has big soft tannins with a structure that is complete from the front of the mouth to the back, suitable for a varietal wine or for blending. Pairs well with beef, game, and other hearty dishes. Try with Buffalo chicken wings for something new.

Leon Millot

Leon Millot is an early ripening black grape, a sister of Marechal Foch but earlier and more productive. Makes a red wine with a distinct berry aroma and a hint of chocolate, can blend well with Marechal Foch. This wine pairs well with red meats, spicy dishes, and Havarti cheese.

La Crescent

La Crescent produces a good quality white wine with apricot-like flavor. The off-dry, sweet white wine pairs well with appetizers, seafood and chicken. La Crescent has excellent winter hardiness with moderate
disease resistance that requires a standard spray program.

Marquis

A vigorous, white seedless grape from the Geneva Breeding Program. This high flavor variety produces spherical berries on large shouldered clusters. Fruit ripens mid-season as is moderately susceptible to powdery mildew. It also makes a nice table wine with hints of pineapple.

Prairie Star

Prairie Star has excellent winter hardiness and moderate disease resistance, and is well adapted to a vertical shoot positioning system. This Elmer
Swenson selection produces a neutral white wine with good mouth feel and finish. In some years it has a strong floral nose. Prairie Star is also used for blending to help add body to more neutral wines. Fruit
matures to excellent sugar content and acidity for wine making.

Kay Gray

Kay Gray has small, compact clusters of white to golden berries with mild and fruity Labrusca flavor. Typically makes a neutral wine and is best harvested at 16° to 18° brix to avoid the development of objectionable aromatics.

Edelweiss

Developed as a table grape, Edelweiss has medium-sized berries on large loose clusters. Wine is usually finished sweet and has pineapple overtones; fruit should be harvested at 14°- 16° brix to avoid strong Labrusca flavors.