Redlove®

Redlove® is a range of red-skinned, red-fleshed apples. The different varieties within the range vary slightly in shape, size, appearance and flesh pigmentation. Common to all is a peel that is smooth, glossy and waxy, and an attractive dark red, which usually covers the entire fruit, with prominent white lenticels. The apple shape is generally round-conical, sometimes oval.

The unique aspect of the varieties is the flesh marbling of dark pink-red hues with a white halo surrounding the core.

The eating quality for this group of apples is also reported to be quite unique. The flesh is crisp, firm, juicy, and fine-grained, with a strong, fruity-sweet aroma and having a balanced, sweet-tart flavor with tangy nuances of berries and cherries.

Some of the individual characteristics of each variety are as follows (in order of harvest date, Switzerland):

Redlove® Lollipop®:

Marbled, pink-striped peel;
The fruit is small with a round shape, 4-6cm diameter;
Firm, crisp flesh which is very juicy and fine-celled, with pink-striped pigmentation;
Juicy sweetness dominates the taste, with some fruit acid to balance the sugary sweetness;
Harvest: end August; the fruit will hang well until end September, but this is not a storage apple;
This variety has Meloni Lilli in the breeding cross and is slow-growing, but without the compact growth of the parent;
Scab resistant.

Redlove® Circe®:

80% red coluration of the peel;
A medium to large apple with a blocky shape (long conical?);
Firm and juicy; pink flesh;
Sweet with a little acidity of a summer apple; fragrant;
Harvest: 20^th August, which can continue to early September; store to late September.

Redlove® Era®:

95% dark red; almost fluorescent red peel;
Firm, crisp, medium-celled, fine textured flesh;
Sweetish tart with a flavour of berries;
Harvest: 10-20^th September; eat at once; store until Christmas;
Scab resistant.

Redlove® Calypso®:

70% dark red peel;
Round to slightly flat in shape;
Very firm, fine-celled, juicy flesh which is dark red;
The most aromatic Redlove apple with a strong first impression of fructose and an aromatic sourness and flavour;
Harvest: 20^th September; eat after 2-3 weeks;

Redlove® Odysso®:

95% red colouration of the peel;
Large fruit, often quite ‘blocky’ in shape;
One of the sweeter Redlove apples with solid red pigmentation of the flesh;
Harvest: early October; late harvest fruit tastes best or fruit that has been stored for 3-4 weeks:
Scab resistant, some mildew resistance.

Good Fruit Guide Rating: tbc

Reports of the Redlove range of varieties suggest Lollipop and Odysso are the sweetest, while the other variants will appeal to people who enjoy a good acid tanginess to their apples. The pink/red pigmentation of the flesh will appeal to cooks and chefs who can enhance dishes with the colour.

Red flesh, tangy, firm

Names: Redlove Era; Redlove Calypso; Redlove Odysso; Redlove Circe; Redlove Lollipop

Origin: Redlove was bred by Markus Kobelt, founder and breeder at Lubera AG, Switzerland. The Redlove range was placed on the market after extensive testing at Lubera facilities in Buchs, Switzerland and Bad Zwischenahn, Germany. The breeding programme involved cross pollination of red-fleshed, but sour, varieties from Asia, with sweeter, more disease-resistant varieties from Europe. Commercialisation of the varieties commenced in early 2010’s.

Grown in: Switzerland, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany.

Harvest & Availability: Availability of the varieties to UK consumers – to be confirmed