Dark purple grape cluster at HRC

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 the cold-climate conditions.  We also focus on understanding the mechanisms of disease and pest resistance so that we incorporate these traits as a way to improve sustainability for Minnesota growers.  In addition to developing grapes, we focus on developing and teaching enology best practices for cold-hardy grapes.

News

New Clarion Fact Sheet Available!

May 26, 2023

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.


Save-the-Date for the 2023 Enology Field Day

May 12, 2023

The annual Enology Field day will be held on Saturday, September 9th from 10am-1pm at the UMN Horticultural Research Center, 600 Arboretum Blvd, Chaska, MN 55331. More information to come!