Image of red grape clusters with thumprint grape breeding logo and the words "Grape breeding and enology"

Welcome to the Grape Breeding and Enology project website

Located at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, we conduct research in the Department of Horticultural Science and at the Horticultural Research Center. Our focus is on grapevine cultivar development which includes: wine grapes, table grape varieties, and ornamentals that survive and thrive in cold-climate conditions. We also work on understanding the mechanisms of disease and pest resistance so that we can incorporate these traits as a way to improve sustainability for Minnesota growers. In addition to breeding grapes, we develop and teach enology best practices for cold-hardy grapes.

Ask for Clarion!

By Kate Fessler, Drew Horton, John Thull, and Matt Clark

We have developed a short guide for our most recent UMN release, 'Clarion'! This high quality white wine cultivar is hardy to USDA Zone 5. Click on the preview below to open the PDF, or at the following link: Link to Clarion fact sheet.

Image of the first page of the Clarion fact sheet

News

Annual Grape Field Day 10am-12pm, September 9 2023

The Annual Grape Field Day will highlight the latest in cold-hardy grapes on Sept. 9, 2023. The Field Day will showcase research in cold-hardy cultivars, pest and disease management and winemaking best practices, as well as offering tastes of 50 varieties of grapes! 


New Clarion Fact Sheet Available!

UMN's latest winegrape release, Clarion, has a brand new fact sheet that includes more complete information about everything from fruit characteristics, to harvest parameters, to pruning and canopy management. If you're interested in growing Clarion, the fact sheet is a great place to start.