Petite Pearl
A dark, tannic cold-hardy red bred by Minnesota grape breeder Tom Plocher. It's prized for dry reds with more structure than most northern grapes manage.
Petite Pearl is the cold-hardy red to try if you miss tannin. Minnesota grape breeder Tom Plocher released it around 2010. Most northern reds are high in acid and light on structure, but Petite Pearl makes deeply colored wines with noticeable tannin and moderate acidity, so it tastes closer to a classic European red than many of its peers.
What It Tastes Like
Expect blackberry, blueberry and black cherry with dried herbs, a little spice and, in oak-aged versions, cedar and cocoa. The texture is firmer than Marquette or Frontenac, which is why winemakers love it in blends: it adds the backbone those grapes lack.
Where It Grows
Petite Pearl is newer than the University of Minnesota grapes, but it has spread quickly through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Vermont and northern New York. Growers like that it buds late in spring, which lowers the risk of frost damage, and that it ripens reliably in short seasons.
What to Look For
- Dry, barrel-aged Petite Pearl shows off the grape's structure.
- Red blends with Marquette or Frontenac are common, and often the best red at a northern winery.
- Rosé versions are darker and more savory than most.
Plocher is an independent breeder, not part of the university program. His grapes are a good reminder that much of the cold-hardy grape revolution came from individual hobbyists and farmers working with wild Midwestern vines.
Where to Find Petite Pearl
Wine regions on American Winery Guide where Petite Pearl is grown or poured: