The grape the climate was made for
Riesling ripens late and keeps acid, which is exactly what a cool site with a long autumn can deliver.
Section 2
What actually ripens, and what it becomes
Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Vidal, and the hybrids. 4 pieces.
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A red that finishes in a short season
Cabernet Franc ripens earlier than its more famous relative, which is why it is the serious red here rather than a compromise.
A hybrid that came for survival and stayed for icewine
Vidal is a hybrid with thick skins that hang through freezing weather, which is why it dominates icewine.
The hybrids that were here first
Baco Noir and Marechal Foch predate the vinifera plantings and still have a following the classification does not entirely accommodate.