WILLSBORO -- Research is helping determine what type of grape vines can handle the chill of a North Country winter and the region's short growing season.

Richard Lamoy volunteers at the Cold Hardy Wine Grape Cultivar Trial, which is located on the Cornell E.V. Baker Agricultural Research Farm in Willsboro. Lamoy attended an open house there after he planted his own vineyard in 2005.

"I saw a lot of the varieties I had decided to try were there," he said.

Some of those varieties are borderline for this region, grown more for research comparisons with the cold hardy grapes. There are 25 varieties of grapevines, planted in three vine blocks that are replicated four times in random locations along 10 rows throughout the small, fenced in plot overlooking Lake Champlain.

"Cold hardy grapes are helping the industry (wine making) catch on in Northern New York," Lamoy said.

Kevin Iungerman, an extension associate with the Cornell Northeast New York Commercial Fruit Program is the project leader. The farm has received funding and support from that program as well as State Sen. Elizabeth Little, the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program, the New York Farm Viability Institute and numerous volunteer growers.

"It's not a project of the (E.V. Baker Agricultural Research) farm," he said. "We are using no funds from the Baker Farm project."

This is the third growing season. It takes three growing seasons before a substantial harvest will be available.

Five of the varieties at the trial were picked for their reputed excellence in cold winters of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Others were used for comparison.

"I expected more cold injury. That hasn't really occurred," Iungerman said. "I expected one-third to half to be damaged."

He said recent warmer winters may be to blame. Last year, the lowest temperature recorded at the trial was 11 below zero Fahrenheit.

Lamoy said a number of varieties are good down to 15 below.

"We figured they would die during the winter, which would be good for the study," he said. "But, not many have died."

Two of those varieties, Cayuga White and Niagara, are more suited to the Finger Lakes region, Lamoy said. They have been successful here, which has surprised some growers, he said.

Iungerman hopes the trial will help encourage a number of small vineyards in the region, similar to what's happening in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.