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May 2016 WINES&VINES 81 WINE EAST WINE INDUSTRY NEWS M inneapolis, Minn.—Dr. Matthew Clark, assistant professor of grape breeding and enology at the Univer- sity of Minnesota, on April 4 announced the name of the fifth new variety created by the school's breeding program: Itasca. Clark told Wines & Vines he thinks Itasca is cold hardy, disease resistant and can produce "wine quality that is fantastic." It is a white grape with the fruit chemistry to allow wine- makers to produce a good, dry white wine; other cold-hardy white grapes have primarily been used to make semi-sweet or sweet wines because of their high acid levels. Itasca was the result of a 2002 cross made by Peter Hemstad, formerly the university's grape breeder and viticulturist, and his group, breeding Frontenac Gris and MN 1234, which has Seyval in its background and is known for its resistance to powdery mildew. The vines have an upright growth habit and do well on either a VSP or a high-cordon trellis, although on a high-wire trellis some leaf pulling may be necessary. According to Clark, spring is short in Minnesota, and Itasca vines respond accordingly: They can go from bud break to flowering in one week. Because of the vines' vigor, Clark recommends up to 8 feet spacing between vines, depending on the soil in the particular vineyard. On the most critical factors of survival over Minnesota's harsh winters, Clark noted, "Itas- ca's hardiness level is superb. In 2014, the winter of the Polar Vortex, Frontenac had 25% to 27% primary bud survival, while there was 65% primary bud survival in Itasca. Itasca in the research vineyard has been harvested in the last two weeks in September. Its moderately compact clusters are resistant to powdery mil- dew, a trait inherited from Seyval, and also to downy mildew and Phylloxera. The grape chemistry of Itasca "gives a lot of opportunity for winemakers to make differ- ent styles of wine, and favor a dry style," Clark said. "Depending on the harvest date, the sug- ars can range from 24° to 28° Brix, with a pH of 3.17 and a TA of 10 g/L, which compares with 15 g/L for Frontenac Gris. The average cluster weight is 145 grams, while Frontenac grape clusters average 124 grams. Itasca is named for the state park in north- ern Minnesota that surrounds the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Several nurseries have been preparing for the launch of Itasca and should have grape- vines available for planting in 2017, includ- ing Double A Vineyard in Fredonia, N.Y.; Winterhaven Vineyard and Nursery in Janes- ville, Minn.; and Northeast Vine Supply in West Pawlet, Vt. —Linda Jones McKee Itasca is recommended for Zone 4 areas identified on the USDA's Plant Hardiness Map. White Wine Variety Itasca Joins List of Cold-Hardy Grapes