Marquette is an inter-species hybrid red wine grape variety. Like most other hybrids used in Vermont, it was developed at the University of Minnesota as part of its grape breeding program¹. Its goal is to develop high-quality, cold-hardy, and disease-resistant wine cultivars. Marquette is a cross between the other two hybrids - MN 1094² (aka Minnesota 1094) and Ravat 262³ (aka Ravat Noir). Marquette was introduced in 2006 and has good resistance to downy mildew, powdery mildew, and black rot, as well as being cold hardy (survives -37°C when fully dormant).

In 1347 Queen Joanna of Naples was exiled to Avignon. Caught in the mistral, she sought refuge in the small castle of a gentleman glazier. When she was shown into his atelier the next day, she startled the artisan at his work. The result was a bulbous vessel that could hold ten liters. Instead of calling the broad-shaped bottle Jeanne-Reine, the modest queen suggested he call it Lady Jane, or Dame-Jeanne.

— La Garagista

Marquette grapes are sourced from Vergennes vineyard located on the hills and valleys of Vermont. Grapes are fermented on their skins with native yeasts and blended after a year of élevage in glass demijohns.

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Footnotes

1. U of M Expertise : Grapes : University of Minnesota. (n.d.). ↩

2. Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Grapevine Breeding, Geilweilerhof ,Siebeldingen, Erika Maul, Reinhard Töpfer, Alina Ganesch. (n.d.). MINNESOTA 1094. Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Erika Maul. ↩

3. Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Grapevine Breeding, Geilweilerhof ,Siebeldingen, Erika Maul, Reinhard Töpfer, Alina Ganesch. (n.d.-b). RAVAT NOIR. Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Erika Maul. ↩