A FAMILY STORY
THE CAILLOUEL APPLE
The result of a research process initiated by Guillaume Caillouel in the 19th century, this well-known variety of apple was named after Florentin Caillouel and registered in the French national catalogue in 1886.
Florentin Caillouel also contributed to the expansion of this variety in the whole of Normandy.
After the second world war, the agricultural revolution pushed out the Caillouel apple; it was no longer productive enough and fell into oblivion, found only on family orchards.
CLASSIFICATION
The Caillouel apple is classified as a sweet or bittersweet type of apple, depending on the content of the soil where it is implanted.
It is fragrant, rich in sugar, with a low content in tannins.
Paul Caillouel: "This apple is special to me as it was named after my great-great-grandfather.
Its flavour is also very special.
Yet, the standardisation of French orchards got the better of its typicity and this previously widespread variety almost disappeared.
I wish to restore its place at the heart of our family orchards and of the elaboration of our ciders".
REDISCOVERY
We had stopped using these fruits a few years ago and the trees were abandoned.
Today, we are redeveloping this variety, grafting many apple trees and putting it at the heart of our blend. It is no coincidence that this apple fell into oblivion as this is a so-called “alternate bearing” variety: it tends to produce a lot one year and very little the following one.
In 2013, a study by the French institute for cider production (Institut Français des Productions Cidricoles) highlighted the organoleptic properties of this variety, classifying it as one of the most interesting kinds among a list of 50 old varieties.
In France, fewer and fewer apple varieties are being used. We have decided to take the opposite approach and go against this standardisation!
Our choice is driven by our passion and by the satisfaction of fostering this diversity.
