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Welcome, fellow oenophiles! You have stumbled upon the official homepage for the
Wisconsin Wine Evening — an intimate gathering of friends dedicated to exploring the
bold, complex, and occasionally surprising world of Cold Climate Wines. While the snobs in Napa sip their precious Cabernet in the sunshine, we brave souls of the Upper Midwest have cultivated grape varieties that can survive temperatures of -40°F and still produce wines of remarkable character. Take THAT, California!! Our varieties are bred tough at the University of Minnesota (Go Gophers!) and thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 and 4, where lesser grapes would simply perish. |
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~ LAKE MICHIGAN ~~~~~
__________________ | | | | | SD | | | | MT.RUSHMORE | | /^^^\ | | | O O | | | \___/ | | | |__________________|
"Wines so hardy, they don't need a jacket"
| 🍇 Variety | Color | Tasting Notes | Hardiness | Rating* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marquette | Red | Cherry, black pepper, spice, pronounced tannins | Zone 4 | 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 |
| Frontenac | Red | Cherry, plum, deeply colored, high acidity | Zone 3(!) | 🍷🍷🍷🍷 |
| Frontenac Gris | White/Copper | Peach, apricot, muscat-like aroma | Zone 4 | 🍷🍷🍷🍷 |
| La Crescent | White | Apricot, peach, citrus, off-dry to sweet | Zone 4 | 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 |
| Itasca | White | Pear, melon, quince, honey, low acidity | Zone 3(!) | 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 |
| St. Croix | Red | Black cherry, blackberry, plum, earthy | Zone 4 | 🍷🍷🍷 |
| Petite Pearl | Red | Small berries, intense color, late harvest | Zone 3(!) | 🍷🍷🍷🍷 |
| Brianna | White | Tropical, pineapple, grapefruit | Zone 4 | 🍷🍷🍷 |
| Edelweiss | White | Floral, honey, light sweetness | Zone 4 | 🍷🍷🍷 |
| Louise Swenson | White | Honey, flowers, light-bodied, delicate | Zone 3 | 🍷🍷🍷 |
| Maréchal Foch | Red | Dark, herbaceous, earthy, ages well | Zone 4 | 🍷🍷🍷🍷 |
* Ratings on the official Wisconsin Wine Evening 5-glass scale
🍷 = "Well, it's wine" 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 = "This makes me forget about winter"
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🍇 Did you know? Marquette grapes are a descendant of Pinot Noir —
making your glass of Wisconsin red basically French royalty in a snowsuit! 🍇 Impressive fact: Itasca showed only a 15.6% primary bud loss after a polar vortex in 2019. Most humans lost more than that! 🍇 Wisconsin pride: In the 2023 International Cold Climate Wine Competition, Wisconsin took home Best of Show White (Itasca), Best of Show Rosé, AND Best of Class Dessert! 🍇 Grape genealogy: La Crescent has Muscat Hamburg in its lineage, which is why it tastes like a vacation even when it's -20° outside. 🍇 Zone 3 warriors: Frontenac, Petite Pearl, and Itasca can survive temperatures down to -40°F. Your Cabernet could NEVER. |
(Because what's a Wisconsin wine night without cheese?)
| Wine | Cheese Match | Bonus Snack |
| Marquette | Aged Cheddar (2+ yr) | Summer sausage |
| Frontenac | Colby-Jack | Cheese curds (squeaky!) |
| La Crescent | Fresh Chèvre | Apple slices |
| Itasca | Havarti | Smoked almonds |
| Frontenac Gris | Baby Swiss | Cranberry mostarda |
Let us know you were here!
| CheeseCurdKing99 - Jan 14, 1997 | Awesome page!! The Marquette was AMAZING last time. See u at the next tasting!! :-) |
| WineNotWhiskey - Feb 2, 1997 | Finally someone who appreciates cold climate wines!!! Bookmarked. Come visit MY page at geocities!! |
| PackersFan4Eva - Mar 8, 1997 | I didn't know wisconsin made wine!! Thought we only made beer and cheese LOL. Will try the Itasca! |
| MidwestMerlot - Apr 20, 1997 | La Crescent is basically Moscato's cooler (literally!) cousin. Fight me. Great site, love the MIDI!! |
| GrapeExpectations - May 5, 1997 | Drove up from Illinois for the tasting. Worth every mile!! The cheese pairings were *chef's kiss* |
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Add your entry: |
⚠
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
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More varieties and tasting notes coming soon! Also working on a VRML virtual vineyard tour!!
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🏆
GEOCITIES COOL SITE OF THE DAY Jan 1997 |
★
NAPA VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD TOP SITE Feb 1997 |
🍷
WORLD WIDE WINE WEB EXCELLENCE Mar 1997 |
This site is part of the Cold Climate Connoisseurs WebRing
Want to join? Email the ringmaster!
| [<< Prev] | [Random] | [Next >>] | [List All] |
Sites in Our Ring:
| 🍷 | Jim's Wine Cellar - NapaValley/Vineyard/1826 |
| ☆ | Heaven's Gate (they appreciate a fine vintage) |
| 🍷 | Sir Sean Connery's Homepage (shaken, not shtirred) |
| ☆ | The Musk Foundation (wine... in space?) |
| 🍇 | The Virtual Vineyard - NapaValley/Vineyard/2702 |
| 🍇 | Wine Lover's Paradise - NapaValley/Vineyard/3154 |
| 🍇 | Grape Nuts Anonymous - NapaValley/Vineyard/1702 |
| 🍇 | Chateau du Web - NapaValley/Vineyard/4088 |
| 🍇 | Bob's Winemaking Tips - NapaValley/Vineyard/5621 |
🍇 Cold Climate Wine Awards (Official)
🍇 U of MN Grape Breeding & Enology
🍇 Minnesota Hardy Grape Varieties
🍇 GeoCities NapaValley Neighborhood
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© 1997 Wisconsin Wine Evening. All rights reserved.
This page is not affiliated with GeoCities, Yahoo!, or the State of Wisconsin.
No grapes were harmed in the making of this website.
Made with ❤️ (and Notepad) in Milwaukee, WI
"In vino veritas, in Wisconsin, cheese curds"