Complete conference details are posted at www.michiganwines.com/conference.

2016 Northern Grapes Symposium Kicks Off the Conference February 24

Super Hardy Grape Cultivars: An Option for Michigan and the Upper Midwest
Like a conference within a conference, the Northern Grapes Symposium features a series of sessions to share results of USDA-funded research conducted over the past four years through the Northern Grapes Project. These research projects were conducted by more than 30 researchers in 12 states, targeted to improve knowledge in viticulture, enology and marketing of super cold hardy varieties bred specifically for northern climates at plant breeding programs in the Midwest and New York. Examples of the varieties that are gaining increased support from the industry in the Midwest and other colder regions of the U.S. include Marquette, Frontenac, Petite Pearl, La Crescent and many others. The goal of the Northern Grapes Project is to help producers overcome production and marketing challenges of making and selling wine from these varieties and increase the profitability and sustainability of emerging cold climate grape and wine industries. Visit www.northerngrapesproject.org for more information about the Northern Grapes Project.