Grape Spotlight: Shelburne Vineyard Lake Champlain Marquette

The Marquette grape was developed at the University of Minnesota as a high quality, cold hardy, and disease resistant wine grape and through multiple cross breeding is a cousin to Frontenac and a grandson of Pinot Noir.  It is renowned for its resilience in harsh climates, capable of surviving winter temperatures as low as --36°F when fully dormant, making it suitable for extreme cold-climate regions. It is highly disease-resistant, showing excellent resistance to downy mildew, powdery mildew, and black rot, and moderate resistance to black rot, which reduces the need for chemical treatments in vineyard management. 

The grape produces medium-bodied, dry red wines with a complex flavor profile featuring notes of cherry, blackberry, black currant, and spice, often accompanied by hints of black pepper, earthiness, and leather. The wines are typically medium-bodied with balanced acidity, soft tannins, and an attractive ruby color due to the thick, dark-blue skins of the small berries.  Marquette wines are often aged in French oak, enhancing their complexity and structure, and can have moderate aging potential, with higher-quality, oak-aged versions developing further complexity over 5–7 years.

The Marquette grape was released by the University of Minnesota in 2006 and Vermont's Shelburne Vineyard immediately planted vines - making these plots in the Champlain Valley the oldest in the Marble State. The Champlain Valley's unique terroir is shaped by the moderating influence of Lake Champlain, which provides a microclimate that warms vineyards in winter and cools them in summer, allowing for the cultivation of grapes and other produce. 

The Shelburne Vineyard 2021 Marquette shows alluring notes of cherry, berry, black pepper, and spice on both nose and palate finishing with refreshing acidity. Cheers.