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Adalmiina

Overview

Ask growers in Quebec about Adalmiina and you’ll hear different stories, but many start the same way: a pale green, seeded hybrid released from the Elmer Swenson breeding pipeline as the unnamed selection “E.S. 6‑16‑30,” now showing up in white blends and occasional skin‑contact cuvées from the Eastern Townships to the Saguenay. Quebec nurseries describe it as hardy to about −33°C (−27°F) and workable in USDA Zone 4a—sometimes even Zone 3a with deep snow cover—while positioning it as both a table grape and a candidate for dry whites. (vigneschezsoi.ca)

In practice it’s being planted and bottled across eastern Canada, with vineyards listing it among their whites in Estrie, the Laurentians, and Outaouais, and at least one Maine estate trying it then replacing it during a replant. One Wisconsin producer (outside our core region, but interesting for context) also gives a succinct house description: “A medium‑bodied white with light floral and citrus notes.” (vineyards.com)

Origin & Breeding

Adalmiina traces to Elmer Swenson in Osceola, Wisconsin—specifically the cross E.S. 2‑3‑17 × E.S. 35 made in the mid‑1980s. The Swenson breeder lists confirm E.S. 6‑16‑30’s parentage, and the wein.plus lexicon expands its family tree: E.S. 2‑3‑17 derives from ES 283 × ES 193, and E.S. 35 from Minnesota 78 × Dunkirk, bringing in vinifera and North American species. (ibiblio.org)

How the number became a name is its own northern detour. A Quebec nursery recounts that University of Helsinki horticulturist Meeri Saario took the selection to Finland in the mid‑1990s and was authorized to name it “Adalmiina,” a Finnish female name. We couldn’t locate a separate primary record of the naming decision, but Saario’s academic footprint in horticulture (lingonberry production and a Finnish home‑fruit book) adds context to the account. (vigneschezsoi.ca)

Some sources also summarize its species background: nurseries publish a breakdown of roughly 32% V. vinifera, 39% V. labrusca, 11% V. riparia, 7% V. rupestris, and 3% V. aestivalis, while the wein.plus entry notes V. lincecumii among ancestors—an example of how different compilers emphasize different branches of the same family tree. (vigneschezsoi.ca)

Climate Adaptation & Hardiness

  • Quebec vendors put Adalmiina’s minimum temperature around −33°C (−27°F) and place it in Zone 4a, with the oft‑repeated caveat that Zone 3 plantings may need reliable snow cover. A Vermont nursery that sells to Northeast growers writes “hardy to around −30°F” (−34°C). (vigneschezsoi.ca)
  • One Quebec viticulture outfit adds a wrinkle: “hardiness can be very good, but unstable,” and suggests the variety prefers either maritime sites or places with heavy, insulating snow. (viticultuream.ca)

Those field notes—robust numbers on paper, but variable results block‑to‑block—mirror much of the hybrid conversation in the Northeast’s coldest corners.

Phenology

  • Budbreak: described as “semi‑late” by a Quebec viticulture advisor, a detail some growers might see as helpful insurance in frost‑prone pockets. (viticultuream.ca)
  • Ripening window and heat units: multiple Canadian nurseries align on early/mid‑season maturity in their climate, offering a target of roughly 950 CDD (base 10°C) or 1710 FDD (base 50°F). They place harvest in early September in Zone 4b–5a. (vigneschezsoi.ca)
  • Relative timing: a Vermont nursery calls Adalmiina “early to ripen,” while an older European write‑up calls it “late ripening”—two opinions that growers may only reconcile in their own rows. For context, University of Minnesota lists Frontenac gris as a mid‑season harvest around late September in east‑central Minnesota, a useful yardstick for cold‑climate whites. (nevinesupply.com)

Growth Habit

Vine behavior is consistently described as moderate to moderately vigorous with a trailing or semi‑drooping habit: - “Moderate vigor and an orderly trailing growth habit,” says Northeastern Vine Supply, which often nudges such types toward high‑wire systems in the region. (nevinesupply.com) - A Quebec advisory notes “semi‑drooping growth” and “excessive development of lateral shoots,” a clue that summer hedging and lateral control may matter more here than on stiffer‑shooted peers. (viticultuream.ca)

Disease & Physiological Issues

  • Several nurseries sell Adalmiina on its “very disease resistant” reputation, aligning with broader observations that many Swenson‑line hybrids allow reduced spray programs compared with V. vinifera. (vigneschezsoi.ca)
  • Yet two practical cautions recur: the fruit can be “prone to berry splitting” as it overripens, and over‑ripe clusters risk cracking then rotting—both raised by Quebec and Ontario retailers and echoed by a local viticulture advisory. Those same notes encourage timely picking. (bambooplants.ca)

Humidity‑driven disease details (powdery vs. downy mildew) are well‑documented across cold‑climate programs, but Adalmiina‑specific susceptibility beyond the above split/rot comments remains thin in published trials. (extension.psu.edu)

Fruit Composition & Sensory Profile

  • Chemistry snapshots from a Vermont nursery suggest “around 22 °Brix” with about 6–7 g/L TA at maturity, numbers that position it for dry, seafood‑friendly whites in the Northeast. An Ontario seller also posts 22 °Brix with pH “up to 3.6.” (nevinesupply.com)
  • Aromatics: multiple voices land in a similar place—floral, citrus, sometimes a gentle astringency on the finish. A Wisconsin producer simply calls their Adalmiina “medium‑bodied” with “light floral and citrus.” (bambooplants.ca)
  • Style comparisons: Quebec advisors and nurseries repeatedly compare it to Muscadet in structure and food pairing. (viticultuream.ca)

Winemaking Approaches

  • Sur lie and seafood‑ready: Vignoble Le Chat Botté describes a white “inspired by Muscadet,” blending Adalmiina with other Swenson‑line whites, fermenting components separately, then aging “sur lies fines” to build texture. The cuvée note places Adalmiina alongside Louise Swenson, Swenson White, Prairie Star, and Frontenac Gris. (veuxtuunebiere.com)
  • Skin‑contact experiment: Vignoble Ste‑Angélique bottles “Muscal,” a 67% Adalmiina, 33% Osceola Muscat skin‑contact white with 28 days of maceration, low intervention, and tropical‑leaning aromas—very different handling, same raw material. (vintageassocies.com)
  • Sparkling potential shows up in trade notes too; while not explicitly tied to a single brand in print, advisors and nurseries flag Adalmiina as a candidate for traditional‑method bases in cold regions. (nevinesupply.com)

Example Styles & Uses

  • Blend for Muscadet‑like texture: Le Chat Botté’s “Blanc” has featured Adalmiina among Swenson‑family whites, fermented separately, then aged on fine lees—an explicit homage to Muscadet handling. (veuxtuunebiere.com)
  • Skin‑contact/orange: Ste‑Angélique’s “Muscal” (Adalmiina–Osceola Muscat) sits in the amber‑wine lane: 10.3% ABV, a touch of bitterness and tannin, and tropical aromatics. (vintageassocies.com)
  • Regional plantings: estates from Orford to Pintendre list Adalmiina among white plantings; one Maine grower planted it in 2008–2009 but replaced it with L’Acadie Blanc in 2013—a reminder that site‑fit, grower goals, and evolving options shape outcomes. (vineyards.com)

Open Questions & Conflicting Reports

  • Early or late? Vermont sellers and Quebec nurseries pitch Adalmiina as early to early/mid‑season, yet one European write‑up labels it late‑ripening. Growers in Zone 4 might test this against their own degree‑day reality. (nevinesupply.com)
  • Acid profile: one source frames it as “low acidity” requiring blending, while another posts TA around 6–7 g/L—more midline for the Northeast. Handling choices (picking date, sur lie, skin contact) could be doing as much work here as genetics. (worldsbestwines.eu)
  • Cold hardiness: multiple nurseries print −27 to −30°F figures, and yet a Quebec advisor calls its hardiness “unstable,” nudging plantings toward snowy or maritime sites. Same numbers, different comfort levels. (vigneschezsoi.ca)
  • pedigree nuances: some compendia include Vitis lincecumii in the ancestry while others quantify species percentages without it. That mismatch is typical of complex Swenson pedigrees reconstructed from many selections. (glossary.wein.plus)

References

  • Vignes Chez Soi (Granby, QC). Adalmiina (E.S. 6‑16‑30): hardiness to −33°C; 950 CDD base 10°C; origin story involving Meeri Saario; species percentages. (vigneschezsoi.ca)
  • Nutcracker Nursery (Quebec). Adalmiina table grape listing: Zone 4a guidance; Zone 3a with snow cover; “very resistant to disease.” (nutcrackernursery.com)
  • Northeastern Vine Supply (VT). Adalmiina: −30°F hardiness, early ripening, 22 °Brix, 6–7 g/L TA, trailing habit, dry white/sparkling potential. (nevinesupply.com)
  • Viticulture A & M (QC). Advisory notes: “northern Muscadet,” semi‑late budbreak, semi‑drooping habit with laterals, over‑ripe splitting/rot, “hardiness can be very good, but unstable.” (viticultuream.ca)
  • wein.plus Lexicon. Adalmiina (syn. ES 6‑16‑30): parentage (E.S. 2‑3‑17 × E.S. 35), ancestor cultivars/species including lincecumii; crossed mid‑1980s by Elmer Swenson. (glossary.wein.plus)
  • Grapebreeders (ibiblio). Swenson parentage tables confirming ES 6‑16‑30 = ES 2‑3‑17 × ES 35. (ibiblio.org)
  • Anchored Roots Vineyard & Winery. Variety list and in‑house description: “A medium‑bodied white with light floral and citrus notes.” (anchoredrootswine.com)
  • Vignoble Le Chat Botté (via retail listing). “Blanc” blend with Adalmiina; Muscadet inspiration; separate fermentations; élevage sur lies fines. (veuxtuunebiere.com)
  • Vignoble Ste‑Angélique (via agency listing). “Muscal” maceration white, 67% Adalmiina / 33% Osceola Muscat; 28‑day skin contact; 10.3% ABV. (vintageassocies.com)
  • Clos Sainte‑Thècle (Laurentians, QC). Vineyard page listing Adalmiina among estate varieties. (clossaintethecle.com)
  • Au Vignoble d’Orford (Estrie, QC). Vineyard page listing Adalmiina among whites. (vineyards.com)
  • Cellardoor Winery (Lincolnville, ME). Vineyard history: Adalmina planted in 2008–2009, replaced with L’Acadie Blanc in 2013. (mainewine.com)
  • BambooPlants (ON). Adalmiina product page: 22 °Brix and pH up to 3.6; early/mid‑season; berry splitting note. (bambooplants.ca)
  • MDPI Horticulturae review (regional context). Disease pressure and spray reductions common for cold‑hardy hybrids in the northern U.S. (mdpi.com)
  • Minnesota Hardy cultivar pages (contextual yardsticks for timing and training of semi‑trailing cold‑hardy whites like Frontenac gris/blanc). (mnhardy.umn.edu)
  • WorldsBestWines.eu (2017). Older profile labeling Adalmiina “late ripening,” listing Quebec producers; kept here to illustrate conflicting reports. (worldsbestwines.eu)

URLs for all sources referenced above: 

https://vigneschezsoi.ca/en/product/adalmiina/
https://nutcrackernursery.com/products/adalmiina-table-grape
https://www.nevinesupply.com/product/white-wine-adalmiina-aka-es-6-16-30/20/
https://www.viticultuream.ca/eng/grapevines_white.html
https://glossary.wein.plus/adalmiina
https://www.ibiblio.org/grapebreeders/slarsen/Grapebreeders/ES_parent.htm
https://www.anchoredrootswine.com/ourvineyard
https://veuxtuunebiere.com/en/products/blanc
https://veuxtuunebiere.com/products/blanc
https://vintageassocies.com/products/muscal
https://www.clossaintethecle.com/en/vignoble
https://vineyards.com/au-vignoble-dorford
https://mainewine.com/vineyard/
https://bambooplants.ca/product/white-wine-grape-vitis-adalmiina/
https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/7/8/216
https://mnhardy.umn.edu/frontenac-gris
https://mnhardy.umn.edu/frontenac-blanc
https://worldsbestwines.eu/grapes/adalmiina/