Tarocco

Tarocco is a mid to late-season, pigmented blood orange with delicious, melting, sweet segments. The flavour is outstanding, being rich and fragrant with lovely balance to the sweetness and acids. The deep orange-coloured, finely pebbled skin is of medium thickness and is easy to peel.

Tarocco oranges are reported to have the highest vitamin C level of all orange varieties.

The Tarocco Ippolito is one of a number of selections of the variety that has the deepest pigmentation of all Tarocco clones and has exceptional levels of the flavanoid, anthocyanin.

Good Fruit Guide Rating: *****

Consumers will be delighted by the eating quality of a good Tarocco, which is among the finest oranges available.

Fine, tender, flavoursome

Names: Tarocco; Tarocco Ippolito; Tarocco Sciara; Tarocco Meli; Tarocco Sant’Alfio; Tarocco Lempso, Tarocco Rosso

Origin: The Tarocco is thought to derive from the Sanguigno, Sicily’s oldest blood orange. There are many selections of Tarocco that differ slightly in pigmentation, eating quality and timing of maturity.

Grown in: Italy, Spain, South Africa, Australia. The finest Tarocco oranges are generally thought to come from Sicily. The Spanish Tarocco (including Ippolito Tarocco) is also very impressive, while the South African-grown fruit is very well worth buying, though doesn’t quite reach the heights of the Sicilian fruit.

Harvest & Availability:
February to April: from Sicily
Late August to early October: from South Africa

Supply of Tarocco to the UK tends to be as follows:

• January:                   Italy, Spain
• February:                 Italy, Spain
• March:                     Italy
• April:
• May:
• June:
• July:
• August:                     South Africa
• September:              South Africa
• October:
• November:
• December:

Websites:

UCR – Bream Tarocco

NSW Government – Tarocco Rosso (Australia)