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Marquette

Overview

Marquette is a cold-hardy, interspecific red wine grape (Minnesota 1211) bred by the University of Minnesota and now planted across the northern U.S. and eastern Canada—particularly the Upper Midwest, Vermont and New York’s North Country, and emerging Ontario and Québec sites. The UMN cultivar sheet frames it as medium‑bodied with cherry/berry, black pepper and spice notes, Zone 4 reliable, and commonly trained either high‑wire or VSP; Minnesota typically harvests in late September, usually before Frontenac. (mnhardy.umn.edu) In 2019, Ontario added Marquette to the list of authorized grapes for VQA wines, marking a policy-level nod to hybrids in a major eastern Canadian appellation. (winesinniagara.com) Minnesota’s own grower survey found Marquette to be the state’s highest-produced variety in 2020. (extension.umn.edu)

Origin & Breeding

The cross was made in 1989 at the UMN Horticultural Research Center near Excelsior by Peter Hemstad and James Luby; seedling selection in 1997 led to release in 2006. Parentage is MN 1094 × Ravat 262, with Pinot Noir in the Ravat side of the family. The U.S. plant patent describes “bluish‑black” fruit, “very cold hardy,” and ripening a few days before Frontenac. (patents.justia.com) CFIA’s variety description echoes the 1989 cross and selection timeline, and documents Québec field trials. (active.inspection.gc.ca)

Climate Adaptation & Hardiness

UMN Extension has “observed [Marquette] to survive at temperatures between −20°F to −30°F,” with “at least one case” down to −36°F without serious injury—tempering that with a reminder that “hardy to –25” still allows bud or trunk injury in tough winters. (blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu) MSU Extension summarizes a midwinter threshold table placing Marquette among the hardiest hybrids, around −35 to −37°F for 80–100% bud kill risk—grouped with Frontenac—while also flagging frost‑timing vulnerabilities in early‑deacclimating cultivars. (canr.msu.edu) UMN’s cultivar page suggests reliable performance in USDA Zone 4, with possible dieback in Zone 3 or wet sites (“not tolerant of wet feet”). (mnhardy.umn.edu)

Phenology

Multiple extension snapshots make the calendar feel familiar: UMN notes relatively early budbreak (frost risk) and harvest in late September, typically before Frontenac. (mnhardy.umn.edu) At Wisconsin’s WMARS, Marquette reached veraison July 24 and was harvested Sept 13 in 2021 at 24.1°Brix, TA 12.3 g/L, pH 3.32—Frontenac followed a day later with lower Brix and higher TA. (fruit.wisc.edu) Weekly scouting in 2025 showed Marquette around E‑L 35 (veraison) by late July in Madison. (fruit.wisc.edu) For heat accumulation, North Dakota State cites UMN data suggesting optimal ripening at roughly 2550–2600 GDD (base 50°F), a useful benchmark for marginal sites. (ag.ndsu.edu)

Growth Habit

UMN characterizes Marquette as semi‑upright, moderate‑to‑high vigor depending on site, with success on both single high wire and VSP; they recommend 6–7 ft in‑row spacing and 3–4 spurs per foot when spur‑pruned. (mnhardy.umn.edu) Training research keeps evolving: in Vermont, Luby’s Lincoln Peak study found Geneva Double Curtain (GDC) produced the highest yields for Marquette “without compromising fruit quality.” (pubhort.org) Later HortTechnology work on young Marquette found low‑wire canopies more frost‑exposed and suggested horizontally divided systems (e.g., GDC) to raise fruiting wood and improve light, while noting the labor tradeoff. (journals.ashs.org) On pruning, a 2023–24 SARE project in the Upper Midwest saw cane pruning often yield above-average crops on high‑wire Marquette compared with short‑spur pruning, while cautioning cultivar‑by‑system interactions. (projects.sare.org) Nurseries selling into the Northeast commonly steer Marquette to high‑wire cordon for efficiency; Double A Vineyards lists it as semi‑upright, medium vigor, with “slightly susceptible” disease ratings across the major fungi. (doubleavineyards.com)

Disease & Physiological Issues

UMN’s sheet calls Marquette moderately resistant to black rot, downy mildew and powdery mildew, with moderate susceptibility to foliar phylloxera. (mnhardy.umn.edu) Field notes add nuance. In 2025 Iowa’s weekly berry‑chem report flagged “late‑season downy mildew” defoliating Marquette in some areas, a reminder that resistance is relative and weather‑dependent. (extension.iastate.edu) In Vermont, a research team studying disease in cold‑hardy cultivars highlighted anthracnose as an emerging issue and, citing a Québec survey, reported Marquette had the “highest severity” among tested cultivars there, rated highly susceptible—though incidence was low during their Vermont study window. (mdpi.com) Physiologically, UMN’s 2025 field updates show “hens and chicks” (shot berries/berry size variability) in Marquette clusters mid‑season. (blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu) And some growers have reported spring “failed or delayed budbreak” episodes on Marquette in 2025—an injury pattern still being tallied by UMN. (blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu) Separate Iowa reports described scattered vine dieback to the ground in spring 2025—often with unaffected neighboring cultivars—underscoring multiple possible causes (winter–spring weather, pathogens, site factors) under investigation. (extension.iastate.edu)

Fruit Composition & Sensory Profile

UMN’s long‑term harvest guidance for Marquette targets 22–26°Brix, pH 2.9–3.3, TA 11–12 g/L. (blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu) Wisconsin sampling in 2023 tracked Marquette from ~20.8°Brix/pH 2.94 in late August to ~24.5°Brix near harvest, with steadily rising pH and falling TA. (fruit.wisc.edu) In Iowa’s 2025 snapshot of unharvested sites, Marquette averaged ~23.3°Brix, pH 3.31, TA 12.3 g/L. (extension.iastate.edu) Vintners in Vermont put flesh on the numbers: Lincoln Peak’s recent reds list pH 3.51/TA 6.4 g/L (2021) and pH 3.62/TA 6.1 g/L (2020), while a 2024 Marquette rosé from their Lower Vineyard clocked pH 3.39/TA 8.1 g/L. (lincolnpeakvineyard.com) On flavors, UMN and UMN‑affiliated pages consistently cite cherry, berry, black pepper and spice; Katie Cook summarized early Northern Grapes tasting as “low in tannin yet [with] garnet color,” sometimes “reminiscent of Pinot Noir” or, in riper versions, “Zinfandel”‑like spice. (license.umn.edu)

Winemaking Approaches

Aude Watrelot (Iowa State MGWII) sketches a pragmatic playbook: expect ~21–22°Brix at mid‑September in Minnesota, pH ~3.0–3.3, TA around 9.5–10.5 g/L; manage acid through MLF and measured deacidification; recognize “low tannin” (~30–50 mg/L) and mostly diglucoside anthocyanins; consider grape‑skin‑derived tannin additions post‑press to help color stability, and mind oxidation and SO₂. (extension.iastate.edu) Processing research keeps testing the edges. Manns/Mansfield showed hot‑press/cellular‑disruption steps boost early phenolic extraction in Marquette but much of the gain doesn’t survive to the bottled wine, with a cultivar‑specific steady‑state emerging despite treatments. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) Extended maceration (2 weeks) did not raise tannins in Marquette wines in a 2024 study; authors suggested EM “might not be the most suitable” route to more structure in interspecific reds. (mdpi.com) A Northern Grapes Project trial found exogenous tannins could yield “fuller‑bodied” sensory results without disrupting fermentations, while cautioning that timing/type should be tailored. (midwestwinepress.com) Work on saignée and bentonite showed modest effects on color stability and tannin extraction in Marquette, with limited economic upside at the tested scales. (mdpi.com)

Example Styles & Uses

The range is widening. In Vermont, Lincoln Peak bottles varietal Marquette reds (neutral oak; 2020–2021), plus a 100% Marquette rosé (“cranberry juice, white tea, Vermont strawberry”) from whole‑cluster pressing. (lincolnpeakvineyard.com) Shelburne Vineyard built a track record with Reserve Marquette and blends in the Lake Champlain valley (a Vermont industry staple, with repeated ICCWC awards cited in local coverage). (vermontbrewers.com) In Maine, Cellardoor has used estate Marquette for méthode champenoise rosé, a vin doux naturel, a still rosé—and in 2024, for their first traditional barrel‑aged estate red, punching down “to extract color, flavors and tannins” before barreling. (mainewine.com) Across the border, Ontario’s The Roost Wine Co. hangs its “signature red” on VQA‑certified Marquette (2021), split between French oak and stainless, winning Decanter silver in 2024—an emblem of Marquette’s new Ontario lane. (winecountryontario.ca) Québec producers push style diversity too: amphora‑aged Marquette at Vignoble Sugar Hill, carbonic/primeur‑style bottlings highlighted by Québec wine writers, and Frontenac‑Marquette blends from the Richelieu valley. (vignoble-sugarhill.com)

Open Questions & Conflicting Reports

  • How hardy is “hardy”? UMN has observed survival to −36°F in at least one event, yet cautions that “hardy to –25” doesn’t preclude injury; MSU tables peg Marquette among the very hardiest—still, 2025 saw budbreak failures and vine dieback reports in parts of the Upper Midwest. (blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu)
  • Disease picture: breeder materials describe moderate resistance to major mildews, but Vermont/Québec work calls out anthracnose risk, and Iowa’s 2025 notes show late‑season downy mildew defoliation on Marquette at some sites. (mnhardy.umn.edu)
  • Canopy choice: GDC often boosts yield and fruit exposure in trials, yet labor costs and frost mechanics complicate the calculus; cane vs. spur pruning also shows site‑ and system‑specific results. (pubhort.org)
  • Tannin reality: UMN’s patent era language praised “substantial tannin,” while recent analytical work repeatedly measures very low tannin in Marquette musts and wines, with EM and saignée/bentonite showing limited retention benefits—pushing many winemakers toward exogenous grape‑tannin strategies. (patents.justia.com)

References

  • University of Minnesota, “Marquette grape cultivar” (cultivar overview; hardiness, training, phenology, pests). https://mnhardy.umn.edu/marquette (mnhardy.umn.edu)
  • University of Minnesota, Grape breeding program (cross made 1989; release 2006; regional adoption). https://mnhardy.umn.edu/grapes (mnhardy.umn.edu)
  • U.S. Plant Patent PP19,579; Hemstad & Luby. “Grapevine plant named ‘Marquette’” (origin, parentage, field traits). https://patents.justia.com/patent/PP19579 and https://patents.google.com/patent/US20070089208P1/en (patents.justia.com)
  • Canadian Food Inspection Agency (PBR record; breeding history; Québec trials; cluster/berry metrics). https://active.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/pbrpov/cropreport/gra/app00006921e.shtml (active.inspection.gc.ca)
  • UMN Extension, “Polar vortex tests the cold hardiness of fruit trees and vines” (observed survival ranges; caveats). https://blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu/2019/02/polar-vortex-tests-cold-hardiness-of.html (blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu)
  • Michigan State University Extension, “Cold hardiness of grapevines…” (comparative midwinter thresholds; frost timing discussion). https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/cold-hardiness-of-grapevines-the-interplay-of-genetics-environment-and-management (canr.msu.edu)
  • Wisconsin Fruit Program, Vineyard scouting and harvest parameter posts (veraison/harvest dates; Brix/TA/pH trajectories; GDD context). https://fruit.wisc.edu/2021/09/15/cold-climate-grape-cultivar-developmental-stages-september-15-2021/ and https://fruit.wisc.edu/2023/10/05/vineyard-scouting-report-october-2-2023/ (fruit.wisc.edu)
  • NDSU Carrington, “Grape” page (Marquette GDD benchmark ~2550–2600). https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/carringtonrec/archive/northern-hardy-fruit-evaluation-project/fruit-index/grape/grape (ag.ndsu.edu)
  • Luby, C. 2012. “Effect of Training System and Yield on Fruit Quality of ‘Marquette’ and ‘La Crescent’ in a Vermont Vineyard.” J. Amer. Pomol. Soc. (Lincoln Peak; GDC yield without quality penalty). https://www.pubhort.org/aps/66/v66_n1_a6.htm (pubhort.org)
  • HortTechnology 2024. “Effects of Spring Freeze Damage and Training Systems on Young ‘Marquette’” (training system implications; frost exposure). https://journals.ashs.org/view/journals/horttech/34/6/article-p668.xml (journals.ashs.org)
  • SARE ONC23‑133 (2024). Spur vs. cane pruning observations on HWC Marquette. https://projects.sare.org/project-reports/onc23-133/ (projects.sare.org)
  • Double A Vineyards (nursery perspective; training, vigor, disease ratings). https://doubleavineyards.com/products/marquette (doubleavineyards.com)
  • Horticulturae 2021. “Disease Susceptibility of Interspecific Cold‑Hardy Grape Cultivars in Northeastern U.S.A.” (anthracnose context; Vermont/Québec). https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/7/8/216 (mdpi.com)
  • ISU Extension MGWII (Watrelot), “Let’s Focus: Marquette” (harvest targets; tannin levels; diglucosides; oxidation management; tannin additions). https://www.extension.iastate.edu/wine/lets-focus-dr-watrelot/ (extension.iastate.edu)
  • J. Food Sci. 2013 (Manns, Mansfield et al.), “Impact of processing parameters…” (phenolic extraction/retention dynamics in Marquette). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23551038/ (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  • Foods 2024. “How Does Extended Maceration Affect Tannin and Color…” (no EM tannin boost in Marquette). https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/7/1187 (mdpi.com)
  • Molecules 2022. “Effects of Saignée and Bentonite on Marquette” (color/tannin extraction, stability). https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/11/3482 (mdpi.com)
  • Midwest Wine Press, “Using enological tannins…” (Northern Grapes trials; fuller‑bodied sensory notes). https://midwestwinepress.com/2014/03/07/using-enological-tannin-additions-enhance-red-wine-structure-mouthfeel/ (midwestwinepress.com)
  • Iowa State “Berry Composition Reports” (seasonal Marquette Brix/pH/TA snapshots; 2024–2025; late‑season DM note). https://www.extension.iastate.edu/commercialhort/midwest-wine-grape-berry-composition-report-2025-week-4 and https://www.extension.iastate.edu/commercialhort/midwest-wine-grape-berry-composition-report-2024-week-3 (extension.iastate.edu)
  • UMN Extension weekly fruit update (harvest parameter ranges for UMN cultivars). https://blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu/2021/08/weekly-fruit-update-sept-1-2021.html (blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu)
  • Lincoln Peak Vineyard (Vermont) tech data and release notes for Marquette and Marquette rosé. https://www.lincolnpeakvineyard.com/our-wines and https://www.lincolnpeakvineyard.com/farm-periodical/2024-marquette-release (lincolnpeakvineyard.com)
  • Shelburne Vineyard (Vermont) — regional scene and awards context. https://www.vermontbrewers.com/attractions/shelburne-vineyard/ (vermontbrewers.com)
  • Cellardoor Winery (Maine), “2024 Marquette harvest…” (sparkling rosé/VDN history; first barrel‑aged estate red). https://mainewine.com/marquette-harvest-leads-to-first-estate-red/ (mainewine.com)
  • VQA Ontario/coverage (Marquette approved for VQA). https://winesinniagara.com/2019/08/marquette-grape-approved-as-a-vqa-wine-in-ontario/ (winesinniagara.com)
  • Wine Country Ontario (The Roost, 2021 Marquette; Decanter medal). https://winecountryontario.ca/wines/marquette/ (winecountryontario.ca)
  • Québec examples: amphora‑aged and primeur styles; blends. https://www.vignoble-sugarhill.com/nos-vins and https://www.journaldequebec.com/2023/11/18/un-vin-nouveau-purement-delicieux-et-100--local and https://veuxtuunebiere.com/en/products/marquette-frontenac (vignoble-sugarhill.com)

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Editorial note: This feature curates growers’ and researchers’ observations from their own contexts. Differences in site, season, vine age, and practice are part of Marquette’s ongoing story.