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 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.

Ask for Itasca

Read more about Ask for Itasca

No Fall Field Day in 2020

Due to COVID-19, the annual Fall Field Day has been cancelled. This event has been hosted for decades at the Horticultural Research Center. We hope that we can continue to offer this event again in September 2021.

If you are interested signing-up for UMN Grape Grower emails, follow this link.

Read more about No Fall Field Day in 2020

New harvest tools for growers and pickers

The extension team has developed some easy to understand guidance to assit growers and pickers in what grapes to retain for wine making.

take_it_or_leave_it_grape_harvest_aid.pdf

Read more about New harvest tools for growers and pickers

Pages

News and Blog

Winter weather is here! What does it mean for the vines?
Preventing refermentation in sweet wines
Is my wine finished with malolactic fermentation?
Alert 9/27/16 Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) in grapes and associated volatile acidity.
Harvest is upon us; Vineyard managment now will impact wine quality. Manage your diseases and rots.
International Cold Climate Wine Competition 2016 RESULTS