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Itasca

Overview

Itasca is a white interspecific hybrid from the University of Minnesota bred for brutally cold sites, with growers now trialing and pouring it from Minnesota and Wisconsin to New York, Vermont and Nova Scotia. The university describes Itasca as “extreme[ly] cold hardy” with naturally lower acidity than earlier UMN whites, and it was formally released in 2017 after a 2016 announcement. (mnhardy.umn.edu)

In practice, you can now find Itasca on northeastern wine lists and tasting bars in blends and varietal bottlings: Shelburne Vineyard in Vermont notes a dry white “Louise 2023” that includes “a touch of Itasca,” while Nova Scotia’s Mumana Vineyards frames Itasca as “perfectly suited to the cool climate,” emphasizing pear and melon flavors. Meanwhile, Ontario’s 2025 VQA update added Itasca to the list of permitted interspecific varieties, a nudge that some Ontario growers had been waiting for. (shelburnevineyard.com)

Origin & Breeding

The paper announcing the cultivar spells out the family tree: Itasca originated from a 2002 cross made by Peter Hemstad—female parent Frontenac gris (Vitis riparia 89 × Landot 4511) × male parent MN1234 (MN1095 × Seyval blanc). The seedling was selected in 2009 and tested as MN 1285 before release. The pedigree includes riparia, aestivalis, berlandieri, cinerea, labrusca, rupestris and vinifera contributions. (journals.ashs.org)

UMN also protected Itasca with U.S. Plant Patent USPP29,847; the patent names the selection, confirms the cross, and emphasizes “moderately low total acidity” with “high sugar levels” at maturity. (patents.google.com)

Climate Adaptation & Hardiness

UMN’s cultivar page tells a story many northern growers watch closely: in Minnesota’s 2014 polar vortex, Itasca endured −31°F (−35°C) with over 60% primary bud survival; in the Jan. 30–31, 2019 cold snap, it survived −28°F (−33°C) with 80% primary bud survival. Minnesota’s Department of Agriculture lists Itasca among Zone 4 grapes. Iowa State’s extension profile groups Itasca in the −26 to −29°F (−32 to −34°C) band. (mnhardy.umn.edu)

Matt Clark at UMN pitched the same theme in the 2016 release: “low acidity and high sugar levels—coupled with high resistance … [and] cold hardiness as far north as USDA’s Zone 4.” (twin-cities.umn.edu)

Phenology

UMN summarizes timing this way: bud break earlier than the Frontenacs but around or just after Marquette; typical Minnesota harvest is mid‑September, slightly before Marquette and La Crescent. The page also flags that some nodes may push primary, secondary and tertiary buds simultaneously, a quirk that invites extra shoot thinning. (mnhardy.umn.edu)

In Wisconsin’s West Madison trials (WMARS) in 2021, Itasca reached veraison on July 20 and was harvested Sept. 1 at 23.2 °Brix, 9.11 g/L TA, pH 3.50. Those same reports track base‑50°F growing degree days (Baskerville‑Emin) as seasonal context; for example, by July 16, 2025 WMARS sat at 1,350 GDD (April 1 start). (fruit.wisc.edu)

Growth Habit

UMN characterizes Itasca as medium‑high vigor and unusually upright for a cold‑climate hybrid, making VSP feasible, though growers also use High Wire and even GDC. The page also suggests removing simultaneous secondary/tertiary buds to prevent overcrowding. (mnhardy.umn.edu)

The cultivar paper adds detail from early trials: on fertile soils, spacing of at least 1.83 m in‑row helped; allowing some crop in year two “can help de‑vigorate excessive vine growth.” The authors note Itasca’s plasticity for VSP, but also that their yield comparisons came mainly from high‑wire systems. (journals.ashs.org)

Disease & Physiological Issues

UMN and Iowa State both emphasize strong resistance to powdery and downy mildew and tolerance to foliar phylloxera, while warning that black rot (and, per UMN, anthracnose) can be problematic in warm, wet summers. In 2016’s very wet season, bunch rots were observed in Itasca as in many cultivars. (journals.ashs.org)

Here’s where on‑the‑ground notes get colorful. Northeastern Vine Supply’s 2024 field review in Vermont gushed that “Itasca has incredible disease resistance. With immunity to powdery and downy mildew … [it’s] a low spray variety,” while they still advise early black rot and phomopsis control. The paper in HortScience, by contrast, ties powdery resistance to the Ren3 locus and cautions that local pathogen populations have overcome Ren3 in some regions—two perspectives worth holding together. (nevinesupply.com)

Several sources also point to harvest‑time fragility: Iowa State flags that Itasca “do[es] not tolerate excessive rain at harvest,” even though UMN notes the grape can sometimes hang for late‑harvest styles if berry integrity is monitored. (extension.iastate.edu)

Fruit Composition & Sensory Profile

UMN’s cultivar page suggests targets of roughly 24.7–28.2 °Brix, pH 3.04–3.31, and historically 8.7–10.8 g/L TA—with some years below 6 g/L at their site—framing why dry styles are realistic with minimal deacidification. Iowa State reports similar harvest numbers (23–26 °Brix; 7–12 g/L TA; pH ~3.2). Wisconsin’s 2021 WMARS sample came in at 23.2 °Brix, 9.11 g/L TA, pH 3.50. (mnhardy.umn.edu)

Aromatically, UMN and Iowa State converge on pear, quince, melon, starfruit/kiwi, gooseberry, honey or mineral threads—less overtly fruity than La Crescent or Frontenac gris in their telling. (mnhardy.umn.edu)

Winemaking Approaches

UMN’s preliminary sensory work explored malolactic fermentation and extended skin contact; panelists didn’t prefer the wines post‑MLF or with extended skin contact in those trials, a data point some winemakers echo when chasing a taut, mineral style. (enology.umn.edu)

Yet Itasca has inspired very different cellar choices across the Northeast. In New York, Wild Arc Farm bought Finger Lakes fruit to trial Itasca in 2021, giving it 24 hours of whole‑cluster maceration, a neutral‑oak puncheon, six months élevage, and “zero sulfur added.” In their words: “We bought a ton of fruit from the Finger Lakes in 2021 to get some ideas.” (jennyandfrancois.com)

In Wisconsin, Door Peninsula Winery marked its 50th anniversary with a small “Oaked Itasca,” describing pear, peach and melon with added barrel complexity. Minnesota’s Four Daughters targeted an unoaked, Chardonnay‑like frame in their first Itasca, while a New York micro‑producer, Fowler Wine, blended Itasca with 25% Sauvignon Blanc for a “naked” version in 2024. (store.dcwine.com)

Example Styles & Uses

  • Varietal, dry still whites: common from Minnesota to Wisconsin; UMN’s own releases and many regional wineries pitch Itasca as a clean, dry white with pear‑to‑gooseberry notes and bright, balanced acidity. (twin-cities.umn.edu)
  • Barrel‑influenced versions: Door Peninsula’s limited “Oaked Itasca” adds roundness without hiding fruit. (store.dcwine.com)
  • Low‑intervention/natural: Wild Arc Farm’s no‑SO₂, neutral‑oak Itasca underscores texture and “zippy acidity.” (binbinsake.com)
  • Blends: Shelburne Vineyard’s “Louise 2023” folds a touch of Itasca into Louise Swenson and La Crescent for a crisp house style; Fowler Wine’s 2024 Itasca leans into a New York‑meets‑Sauvignon Blanc mash‑up. (shelburnevineyard.com)
  • Outside the cellar: a Wisconsin U‑pick farm lets visitors taste Itasca on the vine and turns some into fresh juice and home‑use products—an unusual side path for what is primarily a wine grape. (fcdvineyard.com)

Open Questions & Conflicting Reports

  • Resistance vs. “immunity”: Vermont field notes call Itasca “immune” to powdery and downy mildew, while UMN’s cultivar paper ties resistance to Ren3 and notes that resistance has been overcome in some regions—very different risk pictures, likely reflecting local pathogen populations and spray programs. (nevinesupply.com)
  • Acidity swings by site and season: UMN has recorded sub‑6 g/L TA in some years, Iowa State frames 7–12 g/L as typical, and Wisconsin’s 2021 pick landed near 9 g/L. That spread may be terroir, crop load, or just vintage weather—and it shapes style decisions from bone‑dry to off‑dry. (mnhardy.umn.edu)
  • Hang time and rain: UMN notes Itasca can sometimes hang for late‑harvest styles if integrity is watched; Iowa State cautions it “do[es] not tolerate excessive rain at harvest.” Growers in humid lake/coastal zones may read those lines differently in September. (mnhardy.umn.edu)
  • Training choices: UMN highlights Itasca’s upright shoots as VSP‑friendly even as many northern sites default to High Wire to tame vigor and ease winter retraining. The cultivar paper suggests in‑row spacing and even early cropping as tools to manage vigor; yield data, however, were largely from high‑wire blocks. (mnhardy.umn.edu)
  • Regional adoption is moving: Ontario’s 2025 VQA change officially welcomed Itasca, even as Quebec’s protected categories and Nova Scotia’s growers continue to lean heavily into other hybrids—showing policy and culture can lag or lead agronomy. (winesinniagara.com)

References

  • Clark, M., Hemstad, P., & Luby, J. 2017. ‘Itasca’ Grapevine, a New Cold‑hardy Hybrid for White Wine Production. HortScience 52(4): 649–651. Parentage, winter survival, disease observations, canopy notes, and enology protocol. (journals.ashs.org)
  • University of Minnesota, Minnesota Hardy: Itasca grape cultivar page. Hardiness events, budbreak/harvest windows, training options, and harvest chemistry ranges. (mnhardy.umn.edu)
  • University of Minnesota news release (Apr. 1, 2016): Release announcement and Matt Clark quotes; Zone 4 framing. (twin-cities.umn.edu)
  • US Plant Patent USPP29,847 (Google Patents): Cultivar protection; confirms cross (Frontenac gris × MN1234) and key traits. (patents.google.com)
  • Iowa State University, Midwest Grape & Wine Industry Institute: “Focusing on the Grape Variety Itasca.” Extension profile with cold tolerance band, disease notes, and sensory highlights. (extension.iastate.edu)
  • University of Minnesota Enology: Sensory Analysis of Itasca Wines—Preliminary Report (2019). Early trials on MLF and skin contact. (enology.umn.edu)
  • Wisconsin Fruit (UW): Cold‑Climate Grape Developmental Stages (Oct. 1, 2021). Veraison/harvest dates and Itasca fruit chemistry; multiple reports include seasonal GDD context (Baskerville‑Emin). (fruit.wisc.edu)
  • Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Cold Hardiness List—grapes rated for Zone 4, including Itasca. (mda.state.mn.us)
  • Northeastern Vine Supply (Vermont): Cold‑Climate Grapevine Variety Review—2024 season field notes on Itasca disease behavior and cropping. (nevinesupply.com)
  • Wild Arc Farm (Hudson Valley, NY) via importer and retailer pages: Itasca 2021 method (24‑hour maceration, neutral oak, no SO₂) and sourcing from Finger Lakes. (jennyandfrancois.com)
  • Door Peninsula Winery (WI): “Oaked Itasca” limited release notes. (store.dcwine.com)
  • Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery (MN): First Itasca release aiming for an unoaked‑Chardonnay vibe. (shop.fourdaughtersvineyard.com)
  • Shelburne Vineyard (VT): Portfolio page showing Itasca used in “Louise 2023.” (shelburnevineyard.com)
  • Wines in Niagara (June 2025): Ontario VQA amendment adding Itasca and other hybrids to permitted varieties. (winesinniagara.com)
  • UMN Tech Commercialization: “Cold Hardy Itasca Grape Variety” overview. (license.umn.edu)

Personal notes from growers and researchers quoted or paraphrased above: - Matt Clark, UMN (release quote). (twin-cities.umn.edu) - Bryan Forbes (UMN winemaker) on sensory promise, via ISU MWGWI post. (extension.iastate.edu) - Northeastern Vine Supply field note on “immunity … low spray variety.” (nevinesupply.com)

As with most cold‑climate hybrids, Itasca’s story is still being written—often one September forecast, tank trial, or pruning decision at a time.