(Malus domestica)
The Reinette Russet apple is a mutation of Reine des Reinettes, discovered at the Fruit and Ornamental Plant Breeding Unit of the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) located in Angers, France. It was subsequently released in collaboration with the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Centre in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec.
This cold-hardy apple is typically of medium size, although the size and shape are known to vary significantly. It bears a brownish-yellow, russeted skin and greenish-white, firm flesh. The Reinette Russet apple holds commercial potential for use in sweet and hard ciders because of its complex flavours, possibly as a replacement for the Golden Russet apple in Eastern Canada.
Perhaps because controlled atmosphere storage is not recommended – the Reinette Russet has a tendency to develop watercore – pressing should begin shortly after harvest, in the first or second week of October.
With files from Charlie Embree’s 100 Apples and 100 Pears: A Collection of Characteristics for 100 Apples and 100 Pears.
