Seyval Blanc is a hybrid (Seyve-Villard 5-276) developed in the 1920's in France. It ripens early, is disease resistant and is well suited to relatively cool climates such as England where it is one of the most planted vine varieties. Seyval tends to overproduce so grape clusters must thinned for optimal production of usable fruit.
Planted heavily in Canada and the eastern United States, its popularity among winemakers is growing rapidly in the midwest and other non-traditional wine regions East of the Rocky Mountains. "...because it contains some non-vinifera genes, it is outlawed by European Union authorities for quality wine production, a bone of contention in the English wine industry." (www.winepros.com.au)
Frequently used for blending, crisp and dry versions of single varietal wines have flavors and aromas of grass, hay, melon and citrus and can have a slight minerality. Seyval produces light bodied wines with quality that is improved with oak aging.
Sources:
www.winepros.com.au
www.winegeeks.com
www.mngrapes.org
Showing posts with label cold hardy grapes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cold hardy grapes. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Marquette - Introduced 2006
Exerpts from the University of Minnesota's Cold Hardy Grapes website.
The introduction of Marquette marks the dawn of a new era of cold-hardy red hybrid wine grapes; more often resembling traditional Vitis vinifera wines than those from existing hybrid cultivars. Marquette does exhibit cherry and black currant flavors and aromas typical of many hybrids, but can be much more complex. Marquette's high sugar and moderate acidity make it very manageable in the winery. Finished wines are complex, with attractive ruby color, pronounced tannins, and desirable notes of cherry, berry, black pepper, and spice on both nose and palate. As a red wine, Marquette represents a new standard in cold hardy viticulture and enology.
Wine style:
Marquette is best when utilized as a medium-bodied red table wine. Maceration (fermenting on grape skins and seeds) for 7-8 days is recommended for optimal extraction of tannins. Marquette color is typically moderate, and can endure longer maceration times without becoming dark and inky.
Studies on the interaction of oak aroma and flavor with Marquette have only recently begun, but early impressions are very positive. Both French and American oak chips have been found to increase overall wine complexity. Barrel aging additionally concentrates the wine aromas and flavors, increases body and structure, and prolongs the lifespan of a wine in the cellar.
The introduction of Marquette marks the dawn of a new era of cold-hardy red hybrid wine grapes; more often resembling traditional Vitis vinifera wines than those from existing hybrid cultivars. Marquette does exhibit cherry and black currant flavors and aromas typical of many hybrids, but can be much more complex. Marquette's high sugar and moderate acidity make it very manageable in the winery. Finished wines are complex, with attractive ruby color, pronounced tannins, and desirable notes of cherry, berry, black pepper, and spice on both nose and palate. As a red wine, Marquette represents a new standard in cold hardy viticulture and enology.
Wine style:
Marquette is best when utilized as a medium-bodied red table wine. Maceration (fermenting on grape skins and seeds) for 7-8 days is recommended for optimal extraction of tannins. Marquette color is typically moderate, and can endure longer maceration times without becoming dark and inky.
Studies on the interaction of oak aroma and flavor with Marquette have only recently begun, but early impressions are very positive. Both French and American oak chips have been found to increase overall wine complexity. Barrel aging additionally concentrates the wine aromas and flavors, increases body and structure, and prolongs the lifespan of a wine in the cellar.
Frontenac Gris - Introduced 2003
Exerpts from the University of Minnesota's Cold Hardy Grapes website.
Frontenac gris, the white wine version of Frontenac, started as a single bud mutation yielding gray fruit and amber-colored juice. Wines present aromas of peach and apricot with hints of enticing citrus and tropical fruit. A brilliant balance of fruit and acidity creates lively, refreshing wines.
Frontenac gris has shown the potential to be produced in a variety of styles. Its bronze skin lends color to the juice, resulting in a wines typically ranging from pale gold to rich amber. Wines are typically intensely fruity, exhibiting dominant peach and tropical fruit flavors, especially pineapple, and hints of honey. The fruity palate and high acidity make Frontenac gris an excellent candidate for semi-sweet to dessert wines. Frontenac gris has also shown well as a dry to off-dry table wine.
Wine styles:
"Faux" Ice Wine: Trials with faux ice wine have shown tremendous potential. This extremely sweet dessert wine can produced two ways: by freezing grapes after harvest and pressing them frozen (which requires a specialized press) or freezing juice after pressing and allowing slow thawing to control °Brix.
Off-dry table wine. Frontenac gris table wines are best finished with some residual sugar, to boost the perception of fruit and balance acidity.
Frontenac gris, the white wine version of Frontenac, started as a single bud mutation yielding gray fruit and amber-colored juice. Wines present aromas of peach and apricot with hints of enticing citrus and tropical fruit. A brilliant balance of fruit and acidity creates lively, refreshing wines.
Frontenac gris has shown the potential to be produced in a variety of styles. Its bronze skin lends color to the juice, resulting in a wines typically ranging from pale gold to rich amber. Wines are typically intensely fruity, exhibiting dominant peach and tropical fruit flavors, especially pineapple, and hints of honey. The fruity palate and high acidity make Frontenac gris an excellent candidate for semi-sweet to dessert wines. Frontenac gris has also shown well as a dry to off-dry table wine.
Wine styles:
"Faux" Ice Wine: Trials with faux ice wine have shown tremendous potential. This extremely sweet dessert wine can produced two ways: by freezing grapes after harvest and pressing them frozen (which requires a specialized press) or freezing juice after pressing and allowing slow thawing to control °Brix.
Off-dry table wine. Frontenac gris table wines are best finished with some residual sugar, to boost the perception of fruit and balance acidity.
La Crescent - Introduced 2002
Exerpts from the University of Minnesota's Cold Hardy Grapes website.
La Crescent's intense nose of apricot, peach, and citrus lends itself to superior quality off-dry or sweet white wines. Produced in a Germanic style, La Crescent wine is reminiscent of Vignoles or Riesling. The grape's high acidity provides good structure for excellent dessert or late-harvest style wines.
Wine style:
With its lush aromatics and crisp acidity, La Crescent shows best as a semi-sweet to dessert white wine. Typical varietal flavors of apricot, peach, citrus, and pineapple are enhanced and intensified in wines finished with residual sugar, resulting in a well-balanced, rich palate and a lingering finish.
La Crescent's intense nose of apricot, peach, and citrus lends itself to superior quality off-dry or sweet white wines. Produced in a Germanic style, La Crescent wine is reminiscent of Vignoles or Riesling. The grape's high acidity provides good structure for excellent dessert or late-harvest style wines.
Wine style:
With its lush aromatics and crisp acidity, La Crescent shows best as a semi-sweet to dessert white wine. Typical varietal flavors of apricot, peach, citrus, and pineapple are enhanced and intensified in wines finished with residual sugar, resulting in a well-balanced, rich palate and a lingering finish.
Frontenac - Introduced 1996
Exerpts from the University of Minnesota's Cold Hardy Grapes website.
Frontenac's deep garnet color complements its distinctive cherry aroma and inviting palate of blackberry, black currant, and plum. This versatile grape can be made into a variety of wine styles, including rosé, red, and port.
Wine Styles:
Dry Red. Flavors and aromas of Frontenac table wines can range from simple to quite complex. Oak chips, staves, spirals, and barrels interact well with Frontenac wine. All can increase aromatic and flavor complexity, adding notes of vanilla, anise, clove, and other spices.
Port. A few creative producers have used Frontenac to produce port-style wines of outstanding quality.
Rosé and Sweet Red. Like the fruit of its V. riparia ancestors, Frontenac berries are small, have high skin-to-pulp ratios, and tend to have colored pulp. These traits result in intense juice color. For rosé production, this means that immediate crushing and pressing, without the few hours of skin time allowed in traditional rosé production, results in an intense and attractive rose-colored juice.
Frontenac's deep garnet color complements its distinctive cherry aroma and inviting palate of blackberry, black currant, and plum. This versatile grape can be made into a variety of wine styles, including rosé, red, and port.
Wine Styles:
Dry Red. Flavors and aromas of Frontenac table wines can range from simple to quite complex. Oak chips, staves, spirals, and barrels interact well with Frontenac wine. All can increase aromatic and flavor complexity, adding notes of vanilla, anise, clove, and other spices.
Port. A few creative producers have used Frontenac to produce port-style wines of outstanding quality.
Rosé and Sweet Red. Like the fruit of its V. riparia ancestors, Frontenac berries are small, have high skin-to-pulp ratios, and tend to have colored pulp. These traits result in intense juice color. For rosé production, this means that immediate crushing and pressing, without the few hours of skin time allowed in traditional rosé production, results in an intense and attractive rose-colored juice.
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