The landal family first shows up in my knowledge as the hybrid of choice of a pioneer winemaker/grapegrower named Matthewson in Prince Edward County in the 1980's. He reputedly paid vinifera prices to get this hybrid grape, and seemingly was interested in planting it north of Lake Ontario.

Amateur Winemaker Tino Montopoli (who knew the famous winegrowing and winemaking author Philip Wagner) made wine from Landot 4511 grapes purchased in Niagara until the vines were ripped out for a parking lot about 1990. At the Great Canadian Wine and Cheese Show in Lakefield in 1993 I poured his 1989 vintage Landot for wine writers David Lawrason, Edward Finstein, Peter Ward and Tony Aspler, all of whom seemed to think it well-made and interesting. One of them called it a type of "Super-Baco" (can't remember who)...

In 1995 (my first effort at winemaking) Tino and I drove to Niagara to get Chardonnay grapes from farmer Bill Lenko. We also, by arrangement with Dr. Helen Fisher of the Vineland station, had permission to harvest the Landot Noir 4511 and Landal Noir 244 grapes. We took these to winemaker Ed Gurinskas at Lakeview Cellars who tested the sugars and found them in the 22-23 Brix range. He also liked the taste of the grapes. Tino made these into wine. The last bottles of this limited wine were poured at the first COVA seminar in November 2000 and found to be the best of the four Landots presented, and generally well-liked.

Tino talked to Dr. Fisher and I talked to Eddie Gurinskas, and the upshot was that Helen arranged to graft all the cuttings over the winter of 1995. The resulting vines were planted in 1996 - 20 in Buckhorn at Wally's Folly, and the remainder at Eddie's farm/winery, Lakeview Cellars.

In 1996 a herd of rogue cattle swam a river, travelled a long distance and knocked down the fence surrounding Wally's Folly. They did this in the late summer, and their predations were mainly limited to a few cow patties and the eating of almost every bit of green that the newly planted Landot 4511 vines had produced. Eddie had far more luck with his.

In 1997 the vines grew, but 1998 saw results. The Landot and Landal from Gurinskas Vyd reached 23 Brix, with moderately low acidity. The resulting wines, primarily made by Ken Maley, were heavy knockouts. I tried my hand at a 15-litre demijohn, which broke - I managed to salvage about 5 litres...

In 1999 the vines at Gurinskas were subjected to drought. Landot does not like drought, reaching only 17 Brix in a great year. The wines were overchaptalized, and finish hot, but are otherwise clean decent wines. Even from underripe grapes. I "hogged" virtually the entire Ontario Landot/Landal crop in order to produce enough wine for distribution and education (and that's where it is being used!).

In February 2000 the vines at Gurinskas were pruned with the cuttings sent to Martin Gemmrich for grafting. These were sent all over the place - some to Tottenham on Bert Dunn's mountain, many went to the AVEO conference in May at Alfred, some ended up in Prince Edward County, some to Alain Breault in Quebec and some around Central Ontario. You can see Bert's List of Hardy Grapes or you can visit Alain Breault's site for Quebec-hardy vines.

In May 2000 the red wine from the 1999 vintage at Wally's Folly in Buckhorn was made by Ken Maley. He blended Landot, Pinot Noir, Baco, Marechal Foch and Merlot to win the first-ever international medal-winner produced from vinifera and french hybrid grapes grown north of Lake Ontario. He took a bronze at Inter Vin International, Amateur division.

In 2001 the demand for these vines increased. I find that the blend of Landot 4511 and Landal 244 is superior to either by itself.

In 2002 Frontenac escaped official Canadian Government Quarantine. Frontenac is a crossing of Landot 4511 with Riparia. It's qualities are described below. Landot 4511 itself is the progeny of Landal 244. Frontenac - son of Landot and grandson of Landal, may well be the grape that allows Zone 4 and 5 growers to start wineries and produce red wine. I can't wait to get my hands on some.

On January 14, 2001 a bottle containing 90% Landot Noir (1999) blended with 10% Cab Merlot finished 10th out of 16 in a blind tasting with some quite expert tasters - no person recognized it as a hybrid. Jim Warren (ex-Stoney Ridge winemaker) was talking about how this grape should be resurrected, especially as a possibility for on top of the Niagara escarpment. Dr. Tom Muckle of 30 Bench Winery has also made similar comments.

Descriptions from THE SUPER GIGANTIC Y2K WINEGRAPE GLOSSARY by Anthony J. Hawkins:

LANDOT NOIR:
Cold-hardy French-american hybrid grape with complex French/American hybrids (ie. Landot 244 x Eger 2) as parents. Mainly used for making fruity red wine of mild intensity that has had international medal recognition. Claimed by some to possess moderate resistance to Pierce's Disease and is successfully grown in several middle-latitude states of the U.S.A.

FRONTENAC:
Vigorous, extremely winter-hardy to -30 deg. F (ca -35 C.), heavy producing and disease resistant V. Riperia 89 x Landot 4511 (Noir) french/american hybrid variety created by the U. Minnesota Research Institute for upper midwest USA conditions. Susceptible to Powdery Mildew disease, but near-immunity to Downy Mildew, in excessively humid conditions. Ripens in late mid-season with good sugar content. Important to let fruit hang until fully mature in order to reduce troublesome high acids to reasonable levels. Used to produce a high quality, full-bodied red wine with cherry/plum aromas and moderate-to-low tannins that usually needs malolactic fermentation to reduce its cool climate acidity. Reportedly contains little trace of the wild V. Riperia herbaceousness. Recommended for North-Central regions of USA.

For more information on Frontenac and other exciting new cold-climate grape varieties, visit the Minnesota Grape Growers Association site and click on New Grapes... Note that you will be leaving this site for a better one!

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