Commercialization and Licensing - Grapes
Time, tenacity, terroir, cooperation from Mother Nature, and the highest quality vines are needed to produce abundant grape harvests. The University of Minnesota can help by offering cold hardy, disease resistant, exceptional grapevine varieties.
Licenses are required for asexually propagating La Crescent, Frontenac gris, Marquette and Itasca grape vines.
If you want to propagate La Crescent, Frontenac gris, Marquette and Itasca grape vines, then you require a license from the University of Minnesota. Each of these varieties has been issued Plant Patents by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Plant Variety Protection (PVP) has been applied for in Canada for each variety as well.
Propagating vines for sale to third parties requires a plant variety material license. These licenses can be easily obtained for each of the four varieties in either the United States or Canada by simply completing an Express license application.
Licensed Through the U of M
La Crescent, Frontenac gris and Marquette wine grape vines are protected by United States Plant Patents or Plant Variety Rights in other countries. Nurseries must be licensed to propagate and sell these protected varieties.
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La Crescent Grape WineLa Crescent combines St. Pepin and a Swenson selection from V. riparia x Muscat Hamburg. Obtain an express license for La Crescent from OTC. La Crescent tech i.d. #z01051 |
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Frontenac gris Grape VineFrontenac gris, the white wine version of Frontenac, started as a single bud mutation yielding gray (thus named gris) fruit and amber-colored juice. Obtain an express license for Frontenac gris from OTC. Frontenac gris tech i.d. #z02115 |
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Marquette Grape VineMarquette is a cousin of Frontenac and grandson of Pinot noir. It originated from a cross of MN 1094, a complex hybrid of V. riparia, V. vinifera, and other Vitis species, with Ravat 262. Obtain an express license for Marquette from OTC. Marquette tech i.d. #z05103 |
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Itasca Grape VineItasca is the newest addition to the University of Minnesota's wine grape varieties. It is the first cold-hardy variety with low enough acid to make a dry white wine. It originated from a cross of Frontenac gris and MN1234. Obtain an express license for Itasca from OTC. Itasca tech i.d. #20150077 |
Supported Through the MNRC
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Frontenac, Frontenac blanc and EdelweissFrontenac, Frontenac blanc, and Edelwiess grape vines are available at many nurseries and supported by MNRC participants. Propagation reporting for Frontenac and Frontenac blanc Grapes is managed through cooperation with MNRC. Fees of $0.25 per plant are collected to help fund plant breeding efforts at the University of Minnesota, and foster the development of successful new plant introductions. If you propagate these varieties, please support this program by contacting John Daniels, Secretary-Treasurer, MNRC, by email at JDaniels@bachmans.com. |
