The Reine des Reinettes Gourmande can still be enjoyed today thanks to a handful of passionate French apple growers who have decided to join forces in order to safeguard this ancestral variety. Producing Reine des Reinettes apples is no easy task, as they have to be grown in technical orchards that require a lot of manual labor and often give lower yields. However, the producers have promised to satisfy the expectations of the fans of this authentic apple variety.
A variety that requires twice as many hours of work
"The Reine des Reinettes can be harvested in 7 or 8 passes," explains Thomas Crabos, sales manager at Cofruid'Oc. "This is considerable since two or three passes are usually enough for the new varieties. Overall, the Reine des Reinettes requires twice as many hours of work as a conventional variety, both in the orchards and at the station. Among other things, it requires manual thinning to keep just one fruit per bunch. It is this painstaking work that threatens the future of this authentic variety, as young farmers prefer to plant more productive and less time-consuming varieties. Thanks to the commitment of the few producers of Cofruid'Oc, La Blottière and Mylord, and the support of our distributor partners, the variety has been saved, especially with the creation of the Gourmande club in 2009. Today, we have both the know-how to manage the variety in the orchard and a station equipped with modern tools such as pre-calibration with internal vision, enabling us to offer consumers the very best Reine des Reinettes."
A consumer game based around the Reine des Reinettes Gourmande is being organized from August 26th to September 21st.
A very short sales window
This apple is all the more eagerly awaited by consumers because it can only be enjoyed over a very short period. "It is a variety that does not keep well, so the campaign is short, lasting two to three months, starting in August and finishing at the end of October/beginning of November. The Reine des Reinettes is therefore available now or in a year from now! We are currently in the middle of the campaign, with good yields, good sizes and good quality. As far as Cofruid'Oc is concerned, we are expecting a total of around 800 tons this year. Verger de la Blottière and Mylord should also reach 800 and 500 tons, respectively. This makes a total of around 2,000 tons of Reine des Reinettes for the Gourmande club. Cofruid'oc benefits from the earliest-ripening terroir and will be entering its harvest peak. As for the producers of the Loire Valley, they have just started harvesting and will be selling their first Reine des Reinettes this week.
A very tasty variety
The Reine des Reinettes has managed to remain part of the French agricultural landscape thanks to consumers who are loyal to the variety. "There really are Reine des Reinette lovers. The variety is very tasty and ideal for cooking. It is a gourmet product, with aromas of quince, honey and hazelnut, and it is highly prized by chefs. It is also appreciated for its sweet flavor, tinged with a hint of acidity, and its juicy, dense, melt-in-the-mouth flesh. We now have something to offer both in terms of volume and quality to satisfy as many consumers as possible."
For more information:
Cofruid'Oc
Thomas Crabos
Mobile: +33 (0)6 25 77 68 78
Phone: +33 (0)4 67 91 90 13
https://cofruidoc.com