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Fruit Fact: Gravenstein, a variety of apples
Gravenstein is one of those timeless classic heirlooms for which no modern commercial substitute has ever been found. It's path to fame in the United States started with the Russian settlers who brought gravensteins with them as far south as the Sonoma valley. it proved ideally adapted to the coastal valleys of Northern California, where the mild Summer days and cool nights ripen gravensteins to perfection. A whole gravenstein industry sprung up in Sonoma county and thrived until grapvines slowly displaced the apple orchards. Independent of the Russian settlers, gravensteins also remain a very popular and well known apple in most European countries, a true testament to its amazing flavor.
Variety Background:
| Most Common Name: | Gravenstein |
|---|---|
| Species: | malus domestica seedling |
| Synonyms: | None, but there are also many sports that have been selected over the years with deeper reds; red gravenstein, black gravenstein are two examples. |
| Origin: | The exact origin of Gravenstein is not known and still somewhat under dispute, with the only fact under agreement that it arose sometimes in the 1600's. One claim is that it arose as a chance seedling in the gardens of Duke Augustenberg at Castle Graefenstein in Schleswig-Holstein. Another claim is that the brother of Count Ahlefeldt of Graasten Castle, South Jutland collected collected and sent home scions of "Ville Blanc", an apple from Northern Italy/Southern Tyrol. Either way, it seems to have arrived in Denmark around 1669, and found its way into England in 1820's. From there it made it to the East Coast of the United States via the London Horticultural Society. At about the same time, the Russians brought it to California along the Russian trail. Gravenstein became a major crop in both California and Canada in the late 19th, early 20th century. It also gained popularity throughout Europe. |
| Patents or Trademarks: | None |
Fruit:
Description: Medium to large, slightly convex, somewhat ribbed and five crowned, often asymmetrical irregularly shaped fruit with bright red stripes over green going to yellow when fully ripe. Skin becomes greasy after a few days off the tree. Gravenstein apples show tremendous variations in size, shape and color, even from the same tree. About the only consistent trait is the shape of the fruit. Apples from deep in the canopy will be completely green, turning to a gold yellow.
Flavor and tasting notes: The slightly crisp and juicy yellow to cream colored flesh is complex and aromatic, with a sweet-tart balanced flavor that mellows over a short period of 2-3 weeks after harvest. It has a decidedly classic old world apple flavor, somewhat vineous, aromatic and spicy. Gravensteins left to ripen on the kitchen counter are apt to scent the whole house with a delicious aroma of apples.
Adaptation:
Gravenstein prefers cooler Summer conditions, and does very well in the cool maritime climates of Northern Europe. It's also well adapted to grow at higher elevations since it's a short season, late blooming apple. it is not an ideal apple for hot Southern Summers. In California, it thrives anywhere where the ocean dampens the Summer heat. It is considered a medium chill apple. It is rarely grown in Southern California as it is both heat sensitive and seems to be sensitive to lack of chill. (Note: gravenstein is a triploid; it cannot pollinate other varieties.) It's worthy to remark that gravenstein is one of those rare apples that is drought tolerant and does not degrade in quality in poor soils.
Bloom Time Rating: F10
Growth Habit:
Very vigorous, upright growth habit. It's not unusual to find giant trees that are up to 30-40 feet tall. Has brown colored bark. Colored sports will have darker bark color.
Vigor: T3
Harvest, storage and consumption:
Gravenstein is a mid Summer apple, ripening in early to mid August along the coast in California. This apple really doesn't store well, going from crisp and juicy to mealy within 6 weeks. Even in prime cold and humid storage, the texture can sometimes remain good for a couple of months, but the flavor goes flat rather quickly.
Begin of Harvest: early Aug
End of Harvest: mid Aug
Stores Until: early Sept
Usage:
Makes amazing cider and delicious apple sauce.
Eating: Yes
Cooking: Yes
Cider: Yes
Diseases:
Scab Susceptibility: High
Fire Blight Susceptibility: High
Powdery Mildew Susceptibility: medium
Cedar Apple Rust Susceptibility: Unknown
Black Rot Susceptibility: Unknown
Phytopthera Rots Susceptibility: Unknown
Fly Speck Susceptibility: Unknown
Coddling Moth Susceptibility: High
Nurseries that carry this variety:
Widely available from various sources, some of the sports are more difficult to obtain.
Photo Gallery
Gravensteins in their prime, waiting to be harvested (c) THE Cloudforest Gardener
This picture is a testament to the high degree of variations from one tree to the next; these are almost completely green yet fully ripe. The lack of stripes makes them almost look like different apples. (c) The Cloudforest Gardener
Classic spreading shape of the gravenstein. This is a non-irrigated gravenstein that seems to do quite well in the dry soil in California. Obviously its roots have found groundwater. (c) The Cloudforest Gardener
You got a bad gravenstein. It's not an apple that ships and stores well, so you won't get a good one at the store. It's an apple you have to grow yourself or know someone who grows it to appreciate it.
Tried my very first Grav today, at long last. Gotta say, just ok for me. I thought the color was great, looked a bit like a small honeycrisp, perhaps a bit more striped. I was surprised by the tartness, it didn't seem to match the color. It was kind of mealy, too. I probably shouldn't judge a store bought, but I'll imagine it crisp and I think I get the gist.
OK, gravenstein cider is rather bland and dry, and varietal cider is much better, no argument there. Also, if I could only reproduce those occasional batches that are really incredible, I might be able to do something commercial, but as it is, there is no way, a lot of factors have to come together, not the least of which is when the cider is consumed. In Asturia, Spain, they brew a lot of cider, and it doesn't keep at all. My family tried to bring me some, but by the time it made it to California, it tasted like vinegar.
I'll get you a list of all the successful French cider varieties. There are quite a few, and so far, the tannin levels are through the roof. The bitters are truly incredibly bitter, not something you want to bite into. I've had less luck with the British apples, for example Kingston black is almost a table apple for me, no good tannin development there.
I am on a southwest facing slope, and we also get a lot of Springtime adiabatic heating from northerly winds that warm up downslope towards Santa Cruz. That, combined with high chill accumulations by Central California standards (almost 1000 hours by April, 800 hours on the warm Winter years) means bloom time is a bit earlier. I've managed to delay ripening by locating some apple trees under oaks so they only get Morning sun. I have Summer apples there that turn into early Fall apples. I just harvested William's pride last week, they were fabulous. This year, everything is way early, I've already harvested half of the French cider varietals and they've been pressed.To me it's more like saying table grapes don't make good wine. Sure, you can make a light and drinkable wine from them, but if you're accustomed to drinking varietals, a table-grape wine will be insipid. Some people really like Magners, Hornsbys, etc which I think are awful!
I've been experimenting with cider for about 14 years now and still am not where I want to be. People love my ciders and are happy to buy when I have a surplus to sell, but I'm only really happy with less than half of what I produce. That's mainly because every now and then I get a really terrific batch, and I want them all to be like that!
I really agree with you about the challenge of coming up with a signature Californian cider style. None of the commercial brands so far excite me, and the economics of a premium cider are daunting. Those people who want you to quit your job and go into the cider business - have they written a business plan for you?
I have not come across any information about historical cider production in California, though it seems there must have been some. On my property there are several very old trees, dating back to the end of the 19th century, including one that does make a decent cider.
You have a warmer (and probably much sunnier) climate than mine; very few of my apples ripen before mid-October. I would actually like to have more early cider fruit - to blend with my Kingston Black and Nehou - so am interested to know which French cultivars perform for you. Muscadet de Dieppe is the only early French cider apple I have, and it is wildly inconsistent.OK, it's a question of what you like. Saying that gravs don't make good cider is like saying dry wine is bad. Gravenstein cider is light, crisp and dry, and for some people, that's what they really like. If you prefer a heavier cider with more of a "mouthfeel", you need bittersweets added. So it's just a question of coming up with the right blend. I am making varietal cider just so I can understand the properties of each variety. For example, pink pearl makes a very caramely cider, almost like a good guiness beer. It's very different from a grav.
If you are experimenting with cider apples, by all means, please share your findings. I am very interested, and I am also taking notes on climate adaptability. One of the biggest challenges I find is that a lot of the Normandie apples ripen really early here. The process in Europe is done when the weather is below 10C. They let the pulp oxidize for a day before they press it. Then there is the whole keeving process, all taking place during the colder months.
The challenge for us Californians is to come up with our own signature cider, and so far, my conclusion is that any decent cider apple so far ripens in the Summer of early Fall. All my French cider apples that are not sensitive to chill ripen before September 15th, implying that any process will take place during Summer time temperatures. But I've been very impressed with results from my August pressings. They ferment well and are super high quality, so good that many people have suggested I quit my day job and go into the apple wine brewing business.Really? To me all the Grav ciders I've had were too sharp and lacking in apple character. Light and dry, for sure, but lacking tannin, mouthfeel, body, aroma, etc. But lots of people like Ace, which is a Gravenstein cider, so maybe I'm way off base here. I should have said "there are better cider apples."
The gravs here ripen at the end of July, with some ripening as late as September, so it depends on location, strain and climate. What do you mean it doesn't make good cider? I've made fabulous sparkling hard cider with gravenstein juice, just slowly fermented and aged at 4C over 12 months makes a nice, light and dry sparkling cider with not an overwhelming amount of alcohol.
I grow three different strains of Gravenstein on the Mendocino coast. They are a little inconsistent for me, probably because the climate is inconsistent (Spring especially so) and some of my trees are too close to the Redwoods. Fruit ripens about two weeks later than most places, again a reflection of our odd climate. I just picked all three; the Red Grav was already falling off the tree, the "modern" Grav is ripe but still pretty firmly attached, and the Old Grav is likewise. Nice to have this early fruit, though it often ripens before I am really ready for apples! Agree that it makes great juice, not good for cider though.
Yes, apparently, it seems to be fruiting in San Clemente, I saw the pictures Kevin sent me. The apples are much smaller than when grown in a higher chill climate, but if it fruits, why not try it.
In the wiki for this site it says it is sensitive to lack of chill. Kevin from Kuffle told me it does well by the beach in San Clemente... Is there a low chill grower on this site who recommends it? I am very curious about it, it sounds great.
Gravenstein is a truly delicious, classic apple for early season eating, cooking, cider and sauce.
John S
PDX ORThis is one of my favorite varieties. Every year, we harvest gravensteins around the middle of August and we throw a big cider making party. We usually manage to make 100 liters for ourselves and people still go home with more juice. it's the best apple juice I've ever had, no other variety even comes close in making good apple juice.