Frontenac
A University of Minnesota red that laughs off -35°F winters, with bright acidity and deep cherry fruit. It goes into port-style wines, rosés and everyday reds across the upper Midwest.
Frontenac is the red grape that made commercial winemaking possible in Minnesota and much of the upper Midwest. The University of Minnesota released it in 1996, and it survives winters to about -35°F. That's thanks in part to its wild parent, Vitis riparia, the riverbank grape native to the region.
What It Tastes Like
Frontenac is all about fruit and acid. Think dark cherry, plum, blackcurrant and a little blackberry jam, in a deeply colored wine with very little tannin and a lot of zing. That acidity is both the grape's strength and its challenge. Dry Frontenac can taste sharp, so many wineries soften it with a touch of sweetness, blend it with Marquette, or use it for styles where high acid is an asset.
Where It Grows
You'll find Frontenac across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, the Dakotas and Nebraska, and in Vermont, upstate New York and northern Michigan. In many Midwest tasting rooms it is the backbone of the red list, even when it isn't named on the label.
What to Look For
- Port-style Frontenac is arguably the grape's best use. Its acidity keeps a fortified, sweet wine from feeling heavy.
- Rosé made from Frontenac is vivid pink and full of cherry.
- Red blends often lean on Frontenac for color and freshness.
- Frontenac ice wine appears at a few northern producers when the weather cooperates.
The Frontenac Family
Frontenac mutated twice in the vineyard. First came Frontenac Gris, a gray-skinned grape that makes white wine, and then Frontenac Blanc. If you see all three on one menu, you're tasting the same vine in three colors.
Where to Find Frontenac
Wine regions on American Winery Guide where Frontenac is grown or poured: