Vinification:

Marquette is an early budding and ripening grape for the Midwest which can reach high brix levels early in the season. It is extremly cold tolerant, but highly susceptible to early spring frost. It is a light yielder due its small pinot noir-like' clusters, but is capable of producing exceptionally high-quality dry red table wines when harvest is bountiful.

2023 was a solid vintage with no spring frost damage. The estate fruit was harvested at 23 brix on Sept 9, crushed and destemmed into 1/2 ton bins and fermented using MT yeast. Pressed once dry, the wines were stored in 2 neutral oak barrels, one 1-year American Oak barrel and 1 new Amercian oak barrel. To keep from over-oaking, the wine was racked to Stainless Steel tank after only 6 months. The wine is unfined and unfiltered. It is drinking well already, but should not peak for another 3 to 5 years minimum.