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Brianna

Overview

At 3 a.m. on August 23, 2022, Tassel Ridge’s crew in Mahaska County, Iowa, switched on the Korvan harvester and began their season with Brianna—an early, cold-hardy white hybrid they often pick before almost anything else. That scene captures Brianna’s role across the Upper Midwest and into eastern Canada: a fast-ripening, tropical-scented workhorse that many growers place at the front of the line. Iowa’s industry group describes it simply: hardy “around -25°F,” medium gold berries, and a pineapple-citrus-floral profile typically finished semi‑sweet. (tasselridge.com)

Origin & Breeding

Brianna traces to Wisconsin breeder Elmer Swenson. Multiple sources converge on the cross Kay Gray × ES 2‑12‑13, made in 1983 near Osceola, Wisconsin; it was selected as a wine grape around 2001 and named “Brianna” by Nebraska vintner Ed Swanson in 2002. Swanson has said he first considered the name “Brian” because he thought the vine would be “a strong and healthy grower,” before settling on the more feminine Brianna for a white wine. Swenson’s internal code for the selection—ES 7‑4‑76—still appears in breeder lists. Kay Gray’s own background is an open‑pollinated seedling of ES 217 (Minnesota 78 × Golden Muscat), with Swenson later speculating that nearby Onaka may have pollinated—one reason some tasters perceive Muscat‑like notes in Brianna. (tasselridge.com)

Climate Adaptation & Hardiness

  • Iowa’s grower association pegs Brianna’s cold tolerance “around -25°F,” and nurseries routinely recommend it for Zones 3–5, with some Canadian vendors listing Zone 4b (≈‑25°F) and others selling into even colder prairie markets. Wisconsin and Minnesota retailers likewise market it as a hardy, early cropper. (iowawinegrowers.org)
  • One North Country nursery catalogue even claims “‑50°F with occasional injury,” a figure well more aggressive than university sources, illustrating how catalog promises can outrun trial data. (slngrow.com)
  • In South Dakota State University work, Brianna showed distinctive dormancy behavior: researchers characterized it as a “slow acclimating” cultivar that “exhibited faster deacclimation,” while overall midwinter freezing tolerance among four cold‑hardy cultivars ranked Marquette as most tolerant. That pattern helps explain why some growers bank on Brianna’s earliness yet remain cautious with late‑winter thaws. (openprairie.sdstate.edu)

Phenology

  • Budbreak and bloom: A Minnesota Extension field note in June 2025 photographed Brianna at roughly 80% bloom and “further ahead” than Marquette and Itasca in a Zone 5a site—one snapshot of its early pace. Double A Vineyards’ cultivar sheet pegs budbreak about 2–3 days after Concord. (blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu)
  • Veraison and harvest: In Wisconsin’s 2021 WMARS dataset, Brianna reached veraison July 30 and was harvested September 1 at 17.4% TSS (≈°Brix), TA 6.2 g/L, pH 3.52—earlier and lower‑acid than several peers observed side‑by‑side (Itasca and La Crescent carried higher TSS/TA at the same harvest date). Ohio State’s Wooster program called Brianna their “first harvest” on August 21 one recent season. Iowa field updates often show it picked mid‑ to late‑August. (fruit.wisc.edu)
  • Heat accumulation: A Quebec nursery that sells into Zones 4–5 lists approximately 1100 degree‑days base 10°C (≈1980 GDD base 50°F) to maturity; growers use such rules of thumb cautiously, but it illustrates why Brianna fits short seasons. (vigneschezsoi.ca)

Growth Habit

Growers describe moderate‑to‑high vigor with a semi‑trailing habit. U.S. nursery guidance commonly recommends Top‑Wire Cordon (TWC) training, with 6–8 ft vine spacing; several vendors note good pickability and a medium cluster size. Many northern retailers position Brianna equally for table, juice, and wine. (doubleavineyards.com)

Disease & Physiological Issues

  • Black rot and powdery mildew: A two‑year, unsprayed trial in the Northeast found no cultivar was disease‑free; Brianna showed relatively higher black rot incidence on fruit in 2018 and among the higher fruit powdery mildew severities in 2019, though rankings shifted year‑to‑year. The same study and extension notes caution that sulfur can cause phytotoxicity on some hybrids; Brianna is among cultivars reported sensitive in certain trials—so PM control may require sulfur‑free strategies. (mdpi.com)
  • Downy mildew and botrytis: Minnesota’s June 2025 advisory, posted with a Brianna bloom image, flagged downy mildew and botrytis as priorities at cap fall—especially in vineyards with history of high pressure. (blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu)
  • Regional nuance: South Dakota Extension summarizes local observations this way: Frontenac tends to resist black rot, La Crescent is more susceptible, and “Frontenac and to some degree Marquette are resistant, while Brianna is intermediate” for downy mildew—an example of how Brianna often sits in the middle of the pack in drier continental sites. (extension.sdstate.edu)

Fruit Composition & Sensory Profile

  • Chemistry at harvest: In Wisconsin’s 2021 field numbers, Brianna harvested at 17.4% TSS, pH 3.52, TA 6.2 g/L—lower TA than many cold‑hardy whites in the same block. A University of Minnesota journal article on the cultivar Itasca even contrasts Itasca’s improved juice chemistry with “more sugar at harvest than ‘Brianna’, another cold‑hardy variety with low total acidity levels.” (fruit.wisc.edu)
  • Aroma evolution with ripeness: An Iowa State–led GC–MS–olfactometry study vinified Brianna at different maturity points (starting around 15.4 °Brix, pH ~3.09; musts standardized before fermentation). Panelists and instruments tracked a shift from “cotton candy/floral” early to “banana/butterscotch,” then “honey/caramel” later—supporting grower claims that harvest timing shapes Brianna’s style. The authors note an industry anecdote that “foxy” notes may appear when harvested beyond 14–16 °Brix, while adding there’s limited scientific confirmation. (mdpi.com)
  • Producer tasting notes: Parallel 44 in Wisconsin leans into “intense floral” with grapefruit‑to‑pineapple and a sweet finish (2022, 11.8% ABV); Tassel Ridge’s Iowa Brianna is pitched as sweet with apricot/peach/kiwi notes; Fireside Winery in Iowa bottles a dry, no‑oak, no‑MLF Brianna with pineapple/pear and “balanced acidity.” (44wineries.com)

Winemaking Approaches

  • Picking window: Several Midwestern winemakers cited by Midwest Wine Press prefer Brianna near pH 3.2–3.4, often in August, with a warning from Ed Swanson not to “let it hang too long”—a strategy meant to emphasize tropicals and avoid overt labrusca character. Iowa tastings there suggested semi‑sweet styles resonated with their customers, though styles vary. (midwestwinepress.com)
  • Fermentation: The same article mentions cool ferments (≈55–60°F) to retain aromatics, yeast choice dependent; Northern Grapes enology projects also trialed yeast effects on Brianna and peers to tune esters/terpenes. (midwestwinepress.com)
  • Juice handling: Iowa sources tied to field/vineyard notes for Brianna highlight that its juice can be “high in pectin,” making pectolytic enzymes helpful for yield and clarity—practical advice echoed by winery vineyard‑facts pages. Fireside’s tech notes show a contrasting minimalism: no oak, no MLF, standard cold stabilization, bottled as a dry varietal. (tasselridge.com)
  • Sulfur sensitivity: Vermont disease work and extension cautions about possible sulfur phytotoxicity on some cold‑hardy hybrids—including Brianna—nudging winemakers to balance PM control in the vineyard with downstream SO₂ management. (mdpi.com)

Example Styles & Uses

  • Semi‑sweet varietals: Parallel 44’s award‑winning Wisconsin Brianna emphasizes floral/citrus with RS on the sweet side; Crow River Winery’s Brianna won the 2024 Minnesota Governor’s Cup at the International Cold Climate Wine Competition. (44wineries.com)
  • Dry, aromatic white: Fireside Winery (Iowa) bottles a dry Brianna (11.62% ABV) with no oak or MLF, leaning into cantaloupe‑tropical flavors. (firesidewinery.com)
  • Blends: Nebraska’s Miletta Vista has blended Brianna with LaCrosse to balance pineapple and grapefruit characters, one example of its role as a fruit‑forward blender. (midwestwinepress.com)
  • First‑to‑harvest utility: OSU’s Wooster team flagged Brianna as their earliest pick on August 21 in one recent year, a scheduling role some northeastern growers also report. (americanvineyardmagazine.com)
  • Beyond wine: Producers have even diverted Brianna into value‑added goods like single‑varietal vinegar with “tropical” notes—evidence of how its flavor identity travels outside the bottle. (georgepaulvinegar.com)

Open Questions & Conflicting Reports

  • How hardy is “hardy”? University/industry briefs cluster around ~‑25°F (Zone 4), Canadian sellers list Zone 4b, U.S. nurseries market it into Zone 3, and one North Country catalog claims “‑50°F with occasional injury.” Growers often reconcile those discrepancies with site selection, snow cover, and hilling‑up—yet the spread itself is striking. (iowawinegrowers.org)
  • Disease story depends on where you stand: Some catalogs emphasize “good disease resistance,” while unsprayed Northeastern trials logged relatively high black rot (2018) and higher fruit PM severity (2019) on Brianna, and Minnesota’s bloom advisory highlights downy mildew/botrytis vigilance. The gap between brochure and bare‑trellis data makes for lively winter meeting debates. (silvercreeknursery.ca)
  • Pick early or ride the ripeness? Iowa State–led GC‑MS‑O work shows aromas morphing from cotton candy/floral toward banana and honey/caramel later, and Midwest winemakers report both dry and semi‑sweet successes. Meanwhile, the oft‑repeated fear of “foxy” at higher °Brix remains more anecdotal than proven—at least in peer‑reviewed literature. (mdpi.com)
  • Muscat whisper or myth? Kay Gray’s ancestry (seedling of ES 217, which includes Golden Muscat) leads some to ascribe Muscat‑like terpenes in Brianna. Yet precise compound drivers—and whether those notes come from pedigree or process—are still being teased apart by university labs. (en.wikipedia.org)
  • Heat‑unit needs: Quebec nursery guidance of ~1100 DD base 10°C (≈1980 GDD50) matches many field experiences, but formal multi‑state phenology models for Brianna remain sparse compared with marquee UMN cultivars. (vigneschezsoi.ca)

References

  • Tassel Ridge Winery, Vineyard Facts: Brianna (pedigree, naming, pH window, pectin note, Iowa timing). https://tasselridge.com/tassel-ridge-winery/vineyard-facts/ (tasselridge.com)
  • Midwest Wine Press, “Brianna Grape is Midwest’s New Tropical Fruit” (Ed Swanson naming story; harvest/fermentation preferences; blending anecdotes). https://midwestwinepress.com/2012/05/03/brianna-wine-grape-midwest/ (midwestwinepress.com)
  • Grapebreeders (ibiblio), Swenson parentage list (ES 7‑4‑76; Kay Gray × ES 2‑12‑13). https://www.ibiblio.org/grapebreeders/slarsen/Grapebreeders/ES_parent.htm (ibiblio.org)
  • University of Minnesota Extension—Fruit & Vegetable IPM Blog (June 12, 2025): Brianna ahead at bloom; disease reminders at cap fall. https://blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu/2025/06/fruit-update-june-12-2025.html (blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu)
  • Wisconsin Fruit Program, Cold‑Climate Grapevine Developmental Stages (2021): Veraison (7/30) and harvest (9/1) data; Brianna TSS/TA/pH. https://fruit.wisc.edu/2021/09/15/cold-climate-grape-cultivar-developmental-stages-september-15-2021/ and https://fruit.wisc.edu/2021/09/30/cold-climate-grape-cultivar-developmental-stages-october-1-2021/ (fruit.wisc.edu)
  • Ohio State—American Vineyard Magazine update noting first harvest with “very early ripening Brianna.” https://americanvineyardmagazine.com/ohio-state-extension-vineyard-update-harvest-begins/ (americanvineyardmagazine.com)
  • Iowa Wine Growers Association, cultivar page for Brianna (hardiness, descriptors). https://iowawinegrowers.org/grapes (iowawinegrowers.org)
  • Double A Vineyards, Brianna grapevine sheet (training, vigor, budbreak vs. Concord, disease notes). https://doubleavineyards.com/products/brianna (doubleavineyards.com)
  • Foods (MDPI), Rice et al. 2019, “Effects of Harvest Time on the Aroma of White Wines Made from Cold‑Hardy Brianna and Frontenac Gris” (aroma shifts; pH/°Brix ranges; anecdotal “foxy” note; methods). https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/8/1/29 (open‑access mirror: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6351944/) (mdpi.com)
  • HortScience (ASHS), Itasca description (context: Itasca more sugar at harvest than Brianna; Brianna noted for low TA). https://journals.ashs.org/view/journals/hortsci/52/4/article-p649.xml (journals.ashs.org)
  • Horticulturae (MDPI), “Disease Susceptibility of Interspecific Cold‑Hardy Grape Cultivars in Northeastern U.S.A.” (black rot/PM observations; sulfur phytotoxicity note in discussion). https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/7/8/216 (mdpi.com)
  • South Dakota State University dissertation (Yilmaz 2021): dormancy/acclimation/deacclimation; comparative freezing tolerance. https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd2/215/ (openprairie.sdstate.edu)
  • Minnesota Grape Breeding & Enology—Northern Grapes Project Owner’s Manual: Winery chapter (yeast work on cold‑hardy cultivars incl. Brianna). https://blogs.cornell.edu/ngpownersmanual/owners-manual/the-winery/ (blogs.cornell.edu)
  • Tassel Ridge Winery, Iowa Brianna product page (sensory, pairing; semi‑sweet). https://tasselridge.com/iowa-brianna/ (tasselridge.com)
  • Fireside Winery (IA), Brianna product sheet (dry style; no oak; no MLF; cold stabilization). https://www.firesidewinery.com/wines/brianna/ (firesidewinery.com)
  • Parallel 44 (WI), Brianna product (sweet style; awards; 11.8% ABV). https://www.44wineries.com/shop-now-original/white-wines/brianna/ (44wineries.com)
  • Crow River Winery (MN), Brianna—2024 Governor’s Cup (ICCW Competition) note. https://www.crowriverwinery.com/brianna (crowriverwinery.com)
  • Tassel Ridge Winery harvest log (Aug 23, 2022—Brianna first pick at 3 a.m.). https://tasselridge.com/breaking-news-harvest-has-started-at-tassel-ridge-winery/ (tasselridge.com)
  • Canadian nursery listings confirming eastern Canada adoption and zone guidance (Ontario/Quebec; Zone 4b and practical notes): Silver Creek Nursery; Vignes Chez Soi (with 1100 DD base 10°C); Prairie Gardens. https://silvercreeknursery.ca/products/brianna-grape; https://vigneschezsoi.ca/product/brianna/; https://prairiegardens.org/shop/tree-nursery/fruit/vitis-grape/brianna-grape/ (silvercreeknursery.ca)
  • George Paul Vinegar, Brianna vinegar (alternative use). https://georgepaulvinegar.com/shop/brianna-vinegar (georgepaulvinegar.com)

Note on sourcing: Where nursery catalogues are cited (hardiness zones, degree‑days, or vigor), they’re presented as vendor guidance rather than settled research; university field trials and peer‑reviewed studies are highlighted where available.