Meet Matt Niess, a winemaker forging a different path.
In California’s famed Sonoma County, Matt Niess, owner of North American Press, is championing hybrid grapes. These unique varietals are a cross between the well-known Vitis vinifera species and various grape species native to North America.
While California is celebrated for its Cabernet Sauvignons, Chardonnays, and Pinot Noirs—grapes that have historically thrived in its abundant sunshine—Niess’s focus on hybrids might seem unconventional. However, he’s actually at the forefront of a burgeoning global movement towards these resilient vines.
The global climate crisis has impacted wine regions with unforeseen speed and intensity. Beyond rising temperatures, winemakers are grappling with more frequent extreme weather events such as hail, severe droughts, and unexpected spring frosts. Furthermore, destructive fungal diseases and insect infestations are becoming increasingly common.
As winemaker Matt Niess stands in a Russian River Valley vineyard of Baco Noir, a hybrid grape planted back in the 1960s, he acknowledges, “Sales is the hardest part of my job.”
Vinifera grapes are particularly vulnerable to these challenges, often necessitating the use of synthetic herbicides, systemic fungicides, and other harsh chemicals—practices many top farmers strive to avoid. Consequently, grape growers worldwide are increasingly exploring hybrid varieties, which boast significantly higher resistance to diseases and can thrive with far less chemical intervention.
Beyond their climatic advantages, Niess is also driven by a deep respect for agricultural heritage, choosing to cultivate varieties like Catawba and Lenoir that have a long history in American viticulture.
“I’m committed to preserving the rich diversity and agricultural history of American grapes,” he explains. “There’s something truly special about growing North American grapes right here in North America.”
While hybrid grapes haven’t yet reached mainstream status, a growing number of pioneering farmers are embracing them. From France and Germany to New Zealand and Virginia, these vignerons are joining established hybrid-growing regions like Vermont, the Midwest, and parts of Canada, where extreme climates previously demanded alternatives to vinifera. Notably, even iconic regions such as Champagne and Burgundy are cautiously experimenting with hybrids as they seek sustainable solutions for a changing climate.
For instance, in Beaujolais, Pierre Cotton and Marine Bonnet of Bonnet-Cotton craft an exceptional, easy-drinking rosé called Piscine Olympique, which skillfully blends the hybrids Muscaris and Souvignier Gris with Gamay. Similarly, the Azores Wine Company produces a fantastic red wine using the Isabella grape.
Natural winemaker Valentin Morel in the Jura region is achieving remarkable results with several different hybrids alongside traditional local grapes. In Germany, the winery 2Naturkinder has also produced outstanding wines from Regent, an established hybrid variety.
Further west, in San Francisco, Christopher Renfro, founder of the Two Eighty Project, plans to replace his Pinot Noir vines at Alemany Farm—a public garden nestled between a housing project and a highway—with hybrid cuttings from Filoli Garden’s historic plant collection.
Renfro highlights the hybrids’ apparent resistance to powdery mildew, stating, “This is a huge reason why I want them grafted over at Alemany.”
Christopher Renfro, shown in the vineyard at Alemany Farm, is actively working to transition his Pinot Noir vines to resistant hybrid varieties.
A significant hurdle for anyone working with hybrids is the lingering stigma. For many years, wines crafted from North American native and hybrid grapes were largely dismissed as simplistic, uninteresting, or simply poor quality. This perception persisted despite excellent wines being produced by various wineries in regions like the Midwest and upstate New York, leading to a widespread belief that these grapes inherently couldn’t make good wine.
This perception became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Hybrids were often treated as ‘workhorse’ grapes, farmed for high yields with minimal care, and subsequently turned into low-quality, mass-produced sparkling or fortified wines.
In the late 19th century, European vineyards faced devastation from phylloxera, an aphid that prompted the introduction of hybrid and native North American varieties due to their natural immunity. Many of these hybrid vines endured through the 20th century, even after growers discovered that vinifera vines could be protected by grafting them onto American rootstocks.
However, in 1979, the European Economic Community implemented a ban on the commercial production of wines from hybrids. This ban was only partially repealed by the European Union in 2021, a recognition of the growing urgency of the climate crisis.
Between those years, a shift in perception began. In the United States, much of the renewed interest in hybrids stems from the remarkable success of La Garagista, a small estate in Vermont owned by Deirdre Heekin and her husband, Caleb Barber.
In the early 2000s, the couple established a farm to supply their restaurant and later added a vineyard. Heekin planted cold-hardy hybrid grapes like La Crescent and Marquette, originally developed at the University of Minnesota. She also planted vinifera grapes, Riesling and Blaufränkisch, but these traditional vines unfortunately did not survive their first Vermont winter.
This pivotal experience in La Garagista’s Home Farm Vineyard in Barnard, Vermont, reinforced her commitment.
“I realized, ‘Why am I bothering with Riesling and Blaufränkisch?’” she recounted in a recent interview. “Many people make great Riesling, but who is truly championing La Crescent and Marquette? I wanted to cultivate vines that truly belonged here.”
Heekin committed to farming hybrid grapes with the same meticulous care traditionally reserved for prized heirloom vineyards. She adopts a holistic perspective, treating each vineyard as a self-sustaining ecosystem where her role is to foster harmony between the vines and the local flora and fauna. Her winemaking mirrors this approach: painstaking yet hands-off, allowing each wine to express its unique character rather than forcing it into a preconceived style.
Her wines became a revelation, proving that hybrids could produce not only delicious wines but also ones capable of aging gracefully and developing intriguing complexity. Her success has inspired countless others worldwide to explore the potential of hybrid grape cultivation.
Caleb Barber and Deirdre Heekin, founders of La Garagista, have truly ignited curiosity among growers about hybrid vines with their exceptional wines.
In Virginia, numerous winemakers have acknowledged the challenge of organically farming vinifera grapes due to the state’s humid climate, which encourages downy mildew and black rot. Consequently, organic-minded producers, particularly those at the Common Wealth Crush Company—a cooperative wine space in Waynesboro—have embraced hybrid grapes.
Brothers Ben and Tim Jordan, who spearheaded the Common Wealth initiative, along with New York sommelier and partner Lee Campbell, are all crafting fantastic hybrid wines. Ben Jordan highlights Loving Cup in North Garden, Virginia, as a prime example—the state’s only fully organic vineyard, cultivated exclusively with hybrids.
Jordan is also involved in a significant project to breed new disease-resistant hybrid grapes tailored specifically for Virginia’s climate. He collaborates with Emily Hodson, winemaker at Veritas in Charlottesville, and USDA researchers Dr. Surya Sapkota (grape breeder) and Dr. Lance Cadle-Davidson (plant pathologist). Unlike Vermont, cold-hardiness isn’t a primary concern in Virginia. While Jordan currently produces appealing wines from hybrids like Chambourcin and Chardonnel, he notes they aren’t perfectly suited for local conditions.
“It simply makes more sense to cultivate grapes that are adapted to our specific climate and growing conditions,” he argues. “It’s a far more logical approach than continuing to grow Chardonnay indiscriminately across the globe.”
Ben and Tim Jordan, seen at their family vineyard in Fort Defiance, Virginia, are progressively transitioning to hybrid vines to promote more natural and sustainable farming practices.
Jordan estimates that it will take another 10 to 15 years before Virginia sees its own specialized, disease-resistant grape varieties. He prefers the term “disease-resistant” over “hybrid,” believing it better conveys the crucial benefit without the negative connotations often associated with the latter.
“The discourse around these grapes still requires significant refinement,” he adds, highlighting the need for better communication.
Back in Sonoma, Matt Niess isn’t concerned with cold-hardy grapes. His focus is on varieties that thrive during long growing seasons, naturally resist powdery mildew, and require no irrigation.
“Some of these grapes require no spraying whatsoever,” he notes. “This means no debates over organic or biodynamic methods, fewer tractor passes, and reduced labor. It embodies the true spirit of regenerative agriculture: a hands-off approach.”
Niess actively collaborates with growers, convincing them to plant hybrids in vineyard sections where vinifera struggled. He has even stumbled upon entire vineyards, like one farmer’s plot of Baco Noir—an older hybrid he has successfully transformed into exceptional wines.
Matt Niess, from North American Press, proudly showcases a selection of his excellent wines, made entirely from hybrid and native North American grapes.
Niess expresses a particular fondness for Catawba and Lenoir. The latter, a hybrid developed by the celebrated Texas viticulturist T.V. Munson, who passed away in 1913, forms the basis of Niess’s 2024 Hero’s Journey. This Lake County-grown Lenoir wine is described as lovely, fresh, graceful, and distinctly floral.
However, Deirdre Heekin wisely cautions against viewing hybrid grapes as a complete solution to every environmental challenge.
“While hybrids possess natural resistance to many issues, they are not entirely immune,” she states. “Successful cultivation still heavily relies on careful farming practices.”
She emphasizes that effective farming demands acute observation and adaptability. She notes that methods that once worked for her have become less effective over time.
“Climate change has effectively rendered conventional wisdom obsolete,” she concludes. “The landscape has completely shifted. It’s all about being able to pivot and adapt.”