Loose medium-sized clusters of golden-green grapes suited for a wide range of blended white wines or use as a single varietal. Fruity, crisp, mineral, with hints of apple and pear. Think Chardonnay. Lineage has eight different types of Vitis species—perhaps this explains its exceptional versatility. Widely planted in Nova Scotia and parts of Quebec. Hardy to –20° or colder.
During the deep freeze of February 2023 that knocked back plants across Maine and the Canadian Maritimes, this vine came through unscathed. Josh Horton, head grower and winemaker at Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards, said “…you can make some really delicate, beautiful wines with it, but it’s a workhorse in the sense that it doesn’t matter if it’s a frost, a polar vortex, a lot of rain or wind—it just pushes through, and you always end up with pretty good quality.” Recommended to us by local winemaker Brian Smith of Oyster River Winegrowers in Warren, ME. Z4/5. BACK! (well-rooted vines)
Items from our perennial plants warehouse ordered
on or before March 7 will ship around March 26
through late April, starting with warmer areas and finishing in
colder areas. Orders placed after March 7 will
ship around late April through early-to-mid May, in the order in
which they were received.
ships in spring
7462
L’Acadie Blanc
Additional Information
Grapes Vitis spp.
Grapes are easy to grow and can bear plentifully even in
northern New England. They begin fruiting in the second or third year after
planting. They are rugged and cold hardy. Our vines bear consistently every
year. Although many people prefer seedless types for table use, seeded
varieties can be quite enjoyable right off the vine if you don’t mind
“grape nuts.” Grape seeds contain an antioxidant that is twice
as powerful as vitamin C.
Most grape varieties are bred from a combination of different species, V.
labrusca and V. vinifera being the most important.
Labrusca is native to the eastern U.S., has a wild tart musky
(foxy) flavor, and is hardy and disease resistant. Concord is the best-known
of the labruscas. Vinifera, native to Europe, is extremely
high quality, and is the most important wine grape in the world, but is not
cold hardy and is prone to disease. V. riparia, native to North
America, used as rootstock for grafted varieties and in hybridization with
vinifera, is very adaptable to a wide range of soils, disease
resistant and very cold hardy.
In central Maine, “very early” grapes begin ripening in
mid-August, while “midseason” ripen mid-September. Late-season
Concord, a standard elsewhere, does not ripen in many northern areas.
Growing Grapes
Soil: Very well drained with moderate fertility. Every
few years, fertilize liberally with granite meal. Mulch annually with
hay or straw.
Sun: Full.
Pollination: Self-pollinating; you need only one for
fruit.
Spacing: 8–12' apart in rows 8–12' apart.
Planting: Spread roots out in hole, planting the crown
even with the soil surface. Pack soil, water and mulch well. After frost
danger has passed, prune new vine back to 3–5 strong buds.
Pruning and Trellising: There are many systems for
training grapes, and all involve annual pruning to remove most growth in
late spring. This aggressive pruning encourages new fruiting canes. See
below for a few methods, or visit the
grape resource page
at UMaine Cooperative Extension at Highmoor Farm.
The current vineyard standard for wire is
high-tensile-strength class III galvanized steel. The gauge should be 11
to 12.5. The wire is generally sold by weight. 100 lb of 11 gauge
measures about 2600'. 100 lb of 12.5 measures about 3800'.
Optional Winter Protection: If a variety is marginally
hardy in your area, you can still grow it if you take special care in
winter. Remove the vine from the trellis in fall, lay it on the ground,
and bury with just enough soil to cover.
If you plan to do this, plant your new grapevine at a
45Ëš angle. Train new shoots horizontally for at least one foot.
Then, curve shoots upward to form a J shape. This creates a flexible
hinge, allowing you to lay the vine down at the end of the season.
Training Grapes on an Arbor
Train one or more vines onto an
arbor or gazebo; we have 8 vines, spaced about 10' apart. Prune each vine
back to a single trunk. Encourage several permanent arms from each trunk. In
late spring remove 70– 90% of the past summer’s growth. Next
summer new fruiting canes will grow off the permanent arms.
Training Grapes in the Four-Arm Kniffin System
First year: After the last danger of frost has
passed, cut newly planted vines back to a single stem, 6" long
with two to three buds.
Second year: Set up two wires, 3' and 5' high,
stretched between posts. Cut plant back to a single stem, 6 feet
long and tie it to the top wire. Leave 4–6 buds near each wire
and remove others.
Third year: Select 8 canes, 4 for each wire, and
remove the rest. Tie two canes to each wire, one in each direction.
Cut these 4 canes back to 10 buds each. Cut the remaining 4 canes
back to 1–2 buds each.
Later years: In the spring, remove last
year’s fruiting canes. Select eight new canes. Cut 4 of them
to 10 buds each, and tie them to your wires. Cut the remaining 4
back to 2 buds each. These will produce next year’s fruiting
canes. Remove all other canes. The number of buds left on the
fruiting canes may be adjusted to encourage more fruit (leave more
buds) or larger size (leave fewer buds).