The Vitis riparia is a grape native to the southern half of Minnesota and Wisconsin, where it flourishes along the many riverbanks of the Mississippi and its tributaries.

The rolling hills and sloping landscape of the region permits maximum sun exposure which facilitates grape growth.

[7] In the Upper Mississippi Valley River AVA, viticultural techniques must be adapted to deal with the cold winters.

[7] The Upper Mississippi River Valley grows mainly hybrid grape varieties like Chardonel, Edelweiss, La Crosse, Marechal Foch, Frontenac, Marquette, and Saint Croix.

[8] Research at the University of Minnesota, influenced by the work of horticulturalist Elmer Swenson, have been developing new hybrid grapes that could better withstand the cold winter and ripen earlier.