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w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m N o v - D e c 2 016 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 2 1 Clark says. "We're learning that many hybrid grape varieties are actually less vinifera and more of the wild species than expected when compared to other crops. Itasca's pedigree is quite diverse and complex, with a number of dif- ferent species in its background including V. riparia, V. cinerea, V. labrusca, V. vinifera and V. aestiva- lis. This complexity comes from the French hybrid ancestors on both sides of the pedigree, as well as from the University of Minnesota breeding program introducing cold hardiness from V. riparia." OK, but is all this really such a big deal? "Itasca is a huge deal," Clark says. "It's going to change the landscape for grapegrowers and winemakers across the state and region. I think Itasca may offer vintners access to a new cold-hardy cultivar that's different from others in the region. Our breeding program has really focused on reducing the acidity in the wines so winemakers can have more flexibility." In addition, Itasca should have good yields and be disease resis- tant, according to Clark. "As a grape breeder, one of our key tar- gets is coming up with new variet- ies that growers can produce more sustainably. We've noticed very little disease and pest pressure on Itasca, which we think may give growers an opportunity to reduce spray programs and focus on IPM [integrated pest management]." "What was really impressive to Peter [Hemstad] and me was how well Itasca survived the Polar Vortex compared to other selec- tions we were considering at the time," says Luby. After the harsh winter of 2014, Itasca had 64% pri- mary bud survival, while the other g r a p e s h a d c o n s i d e r a b l y l e s s : La Crescent 39.6%, Frontenac 27.1%, Frontenac Gris 25% and Marquette 14.6%. MAKING IT HAPPEN O n e m a n w h o a l r e a d y h a s learned a fair amount about Itasca is Andy Farmer. Last spring, he planted some 4,000 Itasca vines at Northeastern Vine Supply, his nursery in Pawlet, Vt. "They exhibit above-average vigor and are estab- lishing quickly," he says. "We've kept our vines sprayed, but research from Minnesota has shown Itasca to be near immune to downy mil- dew, and to have very good resis- tance to powdery mildew." Itasca's flavor profile certainly looks like another major selling point. With lower acidity and higher sugar levels than other cold-hardy cultivars, winemakers can produce the kind of dry white wines that the other grapes haven't been able to deliver. At harvest, the grape's titratable acidity averages close to 10 grams per liter, which is consid- erably lower than other Minnesota varieties (Frontenac, for example, has 15 to 16 g/L.) "Early wines from Itasca have shown it has lower acidity than almost all previously known hardy whites," says Farmer. "The aroma profile is also quite different than most other whites we can grow well here. It moves away from the very big stone fruit and tropical fruit aromas of La Crescent and Fronte- nac Gris and displays some more subdued notes of melon, quince and pear. This will surely help winer- ies produce a range of whites that really stand out from one another." I asked Ethan Joseph, vineyard manager and head winemaker at Shelburne Vineyard in Vermont, to share his thoughts about Itasca's flavor. "The chemistry of the grape seems suited to a drier style, which is good — the cold climate indus- try needs white varieties that can be made that way," he says. "The Itasca sample I tasted was dry, with a nice acid structure. Perhaps what stood out most was the body and mouthfeel." Dazzled by all the enthusiasm for this newbie grape, I asked Clark if Itasca has any potential draw- backs. "I'd think there may be some issues with too much vigor of the vine on some soils," he says. "Many successful varieties have their faults, and disease resistanc- es can change over time as patho- gen and pest populations evolve." "A new variety is exciting, but not without risks. Our climate in the Northeast is different than in the Midwest, so it'll be interesting to see how the grapes mature here," says Joseph. "Itasca hasn't been Andy Farmer planted 4,000 Itasca vines at his nursery, Northeastern Vine Supply, in Pawlet, Vt., last spring. wine@hoyt-shepston.com EAST WATCH MARGUERITE THOMAS