Sabrevois Grape (Bundle of 2)

Overview

Sabrevois is a very cold-hardy red wine grape developed for northern climates, known for its deep color, good structure, and ability to survive winters that routinely damage or kill less hardy grapes.

Origin and History

Sabrevois was bred by Elmer Swenson in Wisconsin as part of his long-running effort to develop grapes capable of withstanding Upper Midwest winters while still producing serious wine. It is a complex hybrid with strong Vitis riparia influence, which accounts for much of its winter hardiness, paired with other grape genetics selected for wine quality rather than table use. Sabrevois has been grown commercially and experimentally across cold regions of the northern U.S. and southern Canada and is generally regarded as one of Swenson’s more cold-resilient red wine selections.

Fruit & Uses

Clusters are small to medium with dark blue to black berries and very deeply pigmented juice. Sabrevois is used almost exclusively as a red wine grape. Wines tend to show deep color, moderate tannin, and flavors that lean toward dark cherry, berry, and earthy or spicy notes. It is commonly used either as a varietal in cold climates or as a blending grape to add color and backbone to lighter reds.

Growth Habit & Spacing

Vines are moderately to strongly vigorous and adapt well to upright training systems such as high cordon or vertical shoot positioning. Typical spacing is in the range of 6–8 feet between vines with 8–10 feet between rows, adjusted for soil fertility and management intensity. As with most vigorous cold-climate hybrids, consistent pruning is important to balance vegetative growth and fruit quality.

Pollination

Sabrevois has self-fertile flowers, so it does not require another grape variety for pollination. A single vine can set fruit on its own, though multiple vines are usually planted for yield consistency and winemaking practicality.

Cold Hardiness

Sabrevois was one of the first grapes we evaluated back in 2015 when we visited Wes Burnam’s vineyard in Kalispell, Montana, and those vines were undamaged after a winter low of approximately -35°F.  Not as cold hardy as Valiant, but a solid zone 3 grape.

As with all grapes, survival at those extremes depends heavily on vine health, snow cover, acclimation, and good site selection with airflow rather than cold pooling.