We have grown three acres (approx. 1,400 vines) of this variety since 1986, the year we started our vineyard. Maréchal Foch blooms fairly early and during wet springs pollination is adversely affected. In damp years the fruit will show a touch of powdery mildew. Average yield is 6 – 10 lbs/vine (2 tons/acre). We normally harvest this variety during the first two weeks of October. Maréchal Foch produces good sugar, 23 – 26° Brix, with a pH around 3.2 and fairly high acid, 9 –11 g/l. The wine is a dark purple, inky, with bright fruitiness and low tannins. It has blue juice. Maréchal Foch is a very versatile grape, excellent for nouveau, table wine, and port.

We started growing this variety on a trial basis in 1995. Impressed by the results, we planted about one acre of Leon Millot five years later. Genetically speaking, this grape has the same parents as Maréchal Foch, so the two varieties are siblings. Leon Millot is a very vigorous variety with excellent disease resistance, high yield and early ripening. It blooms early and during wet springs pollination is adversely affected. We harvest this variety during the second half of September. Yield appears to be 6 – 12 lbs/vine (2½ tons/acre). Leon Millot ripens with good sugars, 22 – 25° Brix, a pH of 3.2 – 3.4, and a TA of 7 g/l. The juice is blue. The wine is dark but not inky, fruity with a hint of chocolate. It is low in tannins. It makes a nice wine, also a tasty nouveau, and it blends very well with Maréchal Foch.

We have grown this variety since 1995. Chelois blooms early and is often adversely affected by wet weather at our location, so yield has been low. Yield per vine has hovered around 5 lbs, or 1½ tons/acre. In very damp years it will show a touch of powdery mildew, but normally it is clean. We usually harvest this variety in late September or early October. Chelois produces very good sugars and average Brix is 24 – 27°, pH 3.2 –3.4 and TA 9 – 11 g/l. As in most French-American hybrids, tannins are low. It has blue juice. It makes a very dark, rich wine.

We have grown about a hundred vines of this new German variety since the year 2000. Regent is still (2007) restricted by the German Geilweilerhof Research Institute, and can currently only be grown on a contractual basis. This variety blooms early and the flower clusters have regularly been adversely affected by early botrytis, so yield has been low. The fruit appears completely resistant to powdery mildew. The grapes have ripened in the first week of October at 20 – 22° Brix, a pH of 3.2 and a TA of 7 g/l. The wine has good color, excellent flavor, and it has good tannins.

A cold-hardy, vigorous variety developed by Wisconsin grape breeder Elmer Swenson. We planted 10 vines in 1988, and in 1994, in spite of recurring years with spotty pollination, added another 200. Four years later, after a 100% pollination failure, the new planting was removed. As we have noticed with the remaining original vines, in our location the flowers are very susceptible to early botrytis, and some years there will be no fruit at all. Another problem with St. Croix is that it is extremely leafy, so that leaf removal around the fruit is a necessity to avoid a vegetative, green pepper quality in the wine. Once the vines set fruit, they are resistant to powdery mildew, get good sugars, good pH and the right acidity. Here the fruit usually ripens before Oct. 1. St. Croix has the most beautiful bright yellow fall foliage of any variety we grow.

We have only grown this variety since 1999. It was developed fairly recently in Germany. Yield is supposed to be good, and early indications at our site suggest an average yield of at least 6 – 10 lbs per vine (2 tons/acre). Phoenix blooms late and fruit set has been good (so far). In really damp years the fruit will develop some powdery mildew if left unsprayed. Ripens very early, second half of September. Average Brix 18 – 19°, pH 3.1 – 3.2 and TA 6 g/l. This variety is a muscat cross/hybrid and has a mild and pleasant muscat aroma and flavor.