(InForum) - Good wine starts with good grapes, which are hard to come by in North Dakota because of the state’s harsh climate. That’s where North Dakota State University assistant professor Harlene Hatterman-Valenti and her research team come in. They’re working to develop grape plants that are hardy enough for the state’s cold winter climate while producing wine-worthy fruit. One of the grape plants the team works with is the river grape found on creek and river banks in this region. The fruit – indigenous to the area and used to make jelly – has excellent survivability traits. The problem is, they don’t have the qualities of a good wine grape, so Hatterman-Valenti’s team crosses them with traditional wine grapes