Marquette Grape Vine

Marquette is the cold-climate wine grape that serious home winemakers have been talking about since its introduction in 2006. Developed by the University of Minnesota, it combines exceptional cold hardiness with the kind of sophisticated flavor profile you’d expect from a premium wine varietal — and wine writers have been singing its praises ever since. If you want to make genuinely complex, impressive red wine from your own backyard, Marquette is the vine to plant.

A Wine Grape That Punches Well Above Its Weight

Marquette’s high sugar content and moderate natural acidity make it capable of producing deeply complex red wines with a rich ruby color, refined tannins, and layered flavors of blackberry, cherry, black pepper, and allspice. These aren’t casual table wines — they’re the kind of homemade reds that surprise guests who assume backyard winemaking means something rustic and simple.

Cold Hardy, Vigorous, and Built for Northern Gardens

Marquette was purpose-built for climates where most premium wine grapes won’t survive. Hardy in Zones 4–8, it handles cold winters with ease while delivering early-to-mid September harvests of gorgeous blue-black clusters on semi-upright, medium-vigor vines. The wide soil pH tolerance (5.5–7.5) makes it adaptable to a broad range of growing conditions, and its self-pollinating nature means you can start with a single vine.

Why Growers Choose Marquette

• Premium wine quality — complex flavor profile with blackberry, cherry, black pepper, and allspice notes
• Cold hardy to Zone 4 — built for northern climates where most wine grapes fail
• High sugar content — naturally suited for full-bodied red wine production
• Early-to-mid September harvest — reliable ripening before harsh fall weather arrives
• Wide soil pH tolerance — adaptable to a broad range of soil conditions
• Self-pollinating — fruit with just one vine

Growing Tips

Marquette’s semi-upright growth habit responds well to a trellis system and consistent annual pruning. Good canopy management helps maximize fruit quality and air circulation, keeping the vines healthy and productive for years to come.

May be covered by USPP #19,579 or other patents. ‘MN 1211’ cultivar.