NDSU Plant Propagation 368 Student Factsheets

History of Grape Growing in the Midwest  

Pre-1800’s

Cultivated varieties of grapes have been grown on a large scale in the Old World since the dawn of history. Columbus brought them to Haiti in 1494 and, subsequently, they were introduced into what is now eastern United States by dozens of colonists. Invariably, these early plantings were attacked by a host of pests and diseases, which did not seriously bother our native grapes. As a result, hardy new American varieties were developed by selection among the better native wild grapes, or by crossing these with European kinds. In this way our Concord and Catawba varieties of cultivated grapes arose from our wild Northern Fox Grape, and the Scuppernong variety from the wild Southern Muscadine, as well as many others.  Wild grapes are high-climbing or trailing woody vines with shreddy bark and branched tendrils opposite some or all of the leaves. The leaves are simple and often prominently lobed and notched. Like tame grapes, their fruit is borne in clusters, though usually small and light blue to black in color when ripe.

1800’s to 1970’s

Early settlers moving into states like Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska brought their favorite fruit trees and vines with them from the eastern states.  Grapevine cuttings of varieties favored in the early to mid 1800’s were used to start the first vineyards in the Midwest, by these intrepid pioneer horticulturists.  In addition, wild grapes (Vitis riparia) were in abundance along the river valleys.  It was common to collect these wild grapes for fresh consumption, jams, jellies, pies, and of course wine.  A small but flourishing grape and wine industry was present by the late 19th century.  So successful were these horticulturists that they "rescue" the French Wine Industry in the mid 1800s.  French vintners experimenting with American grape vines inadvertently imported a dangerous vineyard pest, the phylloxera louse. The pest, to which French vines had no resistance, soon destroyed enormous tracts of French vines. Fortunately, a Missouri state entomologist/horticulturist recommended sending phylloxera-resistant American rootstocks to Europe to be grafted with French cuttings. The resultant vines proved extremely hardy, and soon the French vintners were back in business.

However, the advent of World War I, followed by the Constitutional Amendment known as PROHIBITION, led to the demise of a high percentage of the grape and wine industry.  During the period that the prohibition held sway, 1919 to 1933, some grape growing continued on a small scale, primarily for home use such as fresh consumption and jams. 

When the prohibition was repealed in 1933, the country was in the depths of the Great Depression, and in the Midwest and prairie states the dust bowl conditions further intensified the economic woes of the farmers and citizens.  Furthermore, with many of the rights related to the management of alcoholic beverages left to the states, many states choose not to free up these laws that might have permitted the establishment of wineries.  Even had wineries been established, they would not have been able to serve onsite due to consumption on premises laws. 

Because of the dire economic circumstances of the 1930’s, no former grape growing family dared take the risk of putting in new vineyards for wine production when vineyard establishment was so costly and monetary return unlikely for the first 3-5 years.  New Deal economics further encouraged farmers focusing on production of commodity crops such as wheat and corn, which guaranteed price supports, therefore guaranteed a modest living. 

Further interruptions to the flow of what might have been a logical sequence of events leading to reintroduction of entrepreneurial opportunities for production of grapes and wines included the arrival of World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, and the Viet Nam era.  Another deterrent was the continuing relative profitability of price-supported crops.  It wasn’t until the middle part of the 20th century that many midwestern states liberalized their laws to provide for the establishment of a wine industry, changing the upper limit of wine that an individual could produce from around 200 gallons to around 50,000 gallons for a farm winery. 

1970’s to present

The wine industry stayed relatively quite with some minor commercial sales.  Through the 1960’s and 1970’s, wineries continued their determined drive to regain their former stature, fighting an uphill battle in an essentially unsupportive and commercial and consumer environment.  It was around the 1980’s that several states created advisory boards. 

Missouri’s state government was petitioned for assistance in promoting the rebirth their grape industry developing the Missouri Wine Advisory Board.  A new tax on wine enabled the establishment of the Missouri Grape and Wine Program, and with its sponsorship Southwest Missouri State University's Fruit Experiment Station began working with winemakers to develop grape varieties suitable for Missouri viticulture. 

Unfortunately, it was not until the mid 1980’s that the Nebraska Farm Wineries Act went into effect spearheaded by Jim Danielson.  Also, in the early 1980’s Professor Donald Steinegger began vigorous pursuit of cultivar trials of grapes on the Lincoln campus of the University of Nebraska.  These early trials provided valuable information for neophyte grape growers then and later.  Meanwhile, Ed Swanson began similar evaluations of wine-grape cultivars on private land near Pierce, Nebraska.  Gradually, over a period of years, Ed weeded out a number of cultivars that were unsuitable and settled on several French-American hybrids such as Dechaunac, Marechal Foch, Chancellor, and Leon Millot, along with two of the new American hybrids developed by Elmer Swenson of Osceola, Wisconsin, LaCrosse, and St. Croix. 

The University of Minnesota has one of the oldest fruit breeding programs in the U.S., dating back to the early twentieth century.  The university’s grape breeding programs have transformed the grape industry in the Upper Midwest by developing winter hardy, disease resistant cultivars adapted to the regions cold winter temperatures.  'Frontenac', the first red wine variety introduced by this program, was released in 1995 and is now being widely planted in Minnesota, and throughout the Midwest.  The most recent release, 'LaCrescent', is a white variety introduced in 2002.  Many of the varieties are the result of breeding work collaboration between Elmer Swenson in Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota during the years 1969 to 1978.

Grape growing continues to advance north into North Dakota, where there are colder winters and shorter growing seasons then Minnesota.  This state is newest to the viticulture scene.  As prices fall on conventional grain and root crops, farmers are eager to investigate alternative crops like grapes. The High-Value Crops Program at NDSU has a new grant to plant out grape trials near Fargo (southeastern ND), Burlington (north central ND), and Williston (far northwestern ND). Dr. Ron Smith and Dr. Harlene Hatterman-Valenti, NDSU horticulture faculty, and Lisa Duppong, research specialist are carrying out the investigation. They have obtained some of the hardiest grape material from breeding programs in Minnesota to set out in the three locations.

In the fall of 1995, Congress made available through the United States Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service a grant in aid for the support of viticulture. The objective of this grant is to maintain a consortium through which research in support of viticulture and the viticulture industry will be coordinated and, through a re-grant program, experiment stations and universities can be assisted in their funding of pertinent research projects.

Increased vinifera plantings have developed in the Midwest over the last several years, primarily as a function of supply and demand. Consumers everywhere are looking to purchase more vinifera wine, and until recently, Midwest wineries had little to choose from in their own states.

Information found and/or abridged from:

·         “Wild Grapes” written by Roland Eisenbeis of The Forest Preserve District of Cook County in 1965 Nature Bulletin.   http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/natbltn/200-299/nb204.htm

·         “Nebraska, the Next Napa Valley?” written by Paul Reed, Professor of Horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  Last modified 4/22/04. http://agronomy.unl.edu/viticulture/history.htm

·         “The Wonderful Wines of Missouri-Traditions” http://www.missouriwine.org/frame_tradition.html

·         “Grape growing comes to North Dakota” written by Tom Plocher in February 2004.  www.northernwinework.com/images/extra/NDVit.pdf

·         “The viticulture consortium for the support of research in grape culture and production.”  John Bourke, project manager viticulture consortium, East Department of Food and Science.