Frontenac Gris Grape

Frontenac Gris is a cold hardy wine grape released by the University of Minnesota in 2003. It produces loose clusters of pink grey berries used for white to amber wines. The university describes peach, pineapple and honey characters in the finished wine; those are wine descriptors rather than a promise about the flavour of fresh berries.

The vine is vigorous and semi trailing, so it benefits from a sturdy trellis, annual pruning and enough season to ripen its fruit. The breeder reports an average harvest around September 27 in east central Minnesota. Manitoba harvest timing will vary with site and season.

Frontenac Gris survived temperatures around −35°F (about −37°C) in Minnesota trials. We list it as Zone 3 under our nursery default while we continue local evaluation. The cultivar can show moderate susceptibility to powdery mildew and foliar phylloxera, so it should not be treated as disease free.

Cold Hardiness Zone: 3

Botanical name: Vitis hybrid

Fruit: Pink grey berries in loose clusters

Use: White and amber wine

Training: Sturdy trellis and annual pruning