Winter Gray Reinette
Apple
Winter Gray Reinette
Origin / History
An old French apple. Bunyard calls it of great antiquity, recorded in the sixteenth century in France, its country of origin. Coxe (1817) says the French writers describe it as an apple of superior excellence, but that it "does not in this country appear to merit so high a character." Downing remarks, "Among the Reinettes there is a world of confusion, and we feel no confidence in correctness until such time as they may be gathered and grown all in the same grounds." His principal description is taken from Hogg.
Tree
Tree healthy, vigorous, productive (Hogg, in Downing). Bunyard gives growth vigorous, fertile.
Fruit
Size: Medium, 2 by 2 (Bunyard); below middling (Coxe). The Rivers specimen fruited by Downing was small; the Album of Pomology describes the fruit as large.
Form: Roundish, flattened on the sides, broadest at base (Hogg); oblong round, regular (Bunyard); flat (Coxe). The Rivers specimen was oblate, depressed; the Album of Pomology gives roundish.
Stem: Very short (Hogg); short (Bunyard). Long and slender in the Rivers specimen.
Cavity: Very deep (Bunyard). Coxe gives a small hollow at each end.
Calyx: Closed (Hogg; Bunyard; also the Rivers specimen).
Basin: Rather deep (Bunyard). Coxe gives a small hollow at each end.
Skin: Thick and rough, with some russet (Coxe). Dull yellowish green in the shade, with a patch of thin dull brownish red in the sun, which side is so covered with brown russet that little color is visible (Hogg). Bunyard gives yellowish green with a dull red flush, covered with russet. Coxe adds that it is sometimes bright yellow with some red in spots. The Rivers specimen was dull yellowish gray russet; the Album of Pomology gives dull pale yellow overlaid with dull greenish russet.
Dots: Indistinct, raised (Rivers specimen).
Flesh and flavor: Yellow, or yellowish white (Coxe); whitish in the Rivers specimen. Firm, crisp. Juicy, the juice abundant (Coxe); moderately juicy in the Rivers specimen. Rich, sugary (Hogg); sweet and sprightly (Coxe); brisk subacid (Hogg's shorter entry, and the Rivers specimen, which is also rich); aromatic (Bunyard). Downing rates the Rivers specimen "Good"; Bunyard calls the apple "of excellent quality."
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
The recorded season runs from November into May. Coxe has it ripening in the beginning of winter and keeping late in the spring. Hogg gives November to May, and the Rivers specimen December to May. Bunyard gives till March. Hogg's shorter entry reads "November, February."
Uses
Dessert (Bunyard).
Subtypes / Variants
A Winter Gray Reinette received from Rivers and fruited by Downing, rated "Good," December to May; its characters are given under the Fruit labels. The Album of Pomology also describes a Winter Gray Reinette, large, roundish.
Other
Downing enters separately Haute Bonté (Reinette grise haute bonté), an old French dessert apple: fruit medium, roundish, ribbed, yellow, with faint tinge of red in the sun; flesh greenish white, tender, juicy, brisk subacid; December to February.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817) — listed as Reinette Grise
- Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920) — listed as REINETTE GRISE
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1845–1900) from Massachusetts
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845 — listed as Reinette Grise
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Reinette Grise
View original book sources (3)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 77. REINETTE GRISE.
This is described as an apple of superior excellence by the French writers, but does not in this country appear to merit so high a character: the size is below middling: the form flat, with a small hollow at each end: the skin thick and rough, with some russet: sometimes it is a bright yellow, with some red in spots: the flesh is firm, and of a yellowish white: the juice abundant, sweet and sprightly. It ripens in the beginning of winter, and keeps late in the spring.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Winter Gray Reinette.
Reinette Grise d'Hiver. Reinette Grise Extra. Belle Fille. Prager. Reinette Grise. Grauwe Franse Rennett. Reinette Grise Francaise.
Among the Reinettes there is a world of confusion, and we feel no confidence in correctness until such time as they may be gathered and grown all in the same grounds. The present description of this variety is taken from Hogg. Tree healthy, vigorous, productive.
Fruit medium, roundish, flattened on the sides, broadest at base, dull yellowish green in the shade, with a patch of thin dull brownish red in the sun, which side is so covered with brown russet that little color is visible. Stalk very short. Calyx closed. Flesh yellow, firm, crisp, rich, juicy, sugary. November to May.
We have received and fruited a Winter Gray Reinette from Rivers, which is small, oblate, depressed, dull yellowish gray russet, indistinct raised dots. Stalk long, slender. Calyx closed. Flesh whitish, firm, moderately juicy, rich, brisk subacid. Good. December to May.
The Album of Pomology also describes a Winter Gray Reinette as large, roundish, dull pale yellow, overlaid with dull greenish russet.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Grey Reinette", pp. 229–229]
Grey Reinette. Reinette Grise Extra. Reinette Grise. Belle Fille. Reinette Grise d'Hiver. Prager. An old French Apple. Fruit medium, roundish, yellowish green, with brownish red in sun. Flesh yellow, firm, crisp, brisk subacid. November, February. (Hogg.)
[Additional entry in this volume: "Haute Bonté", pp. 237–237]
Haute Bonté. Reinette grise haute bonté. Blandilalie. An old French dessert Apple. Fruit medium, roundish, ribbed, yellow, with faint tinge of red in the sun. Flesh greenish white, tender, juicy, brisk subacid. December to February.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)REINETTE GRISE. Ronalds, P., 32. G., Grau Franzosische Reinette. (Belle Fille, Grauer Rabau, Haute Bonté, Leder Apfel.) Dessert, till March, medium, 2 by 2, oblong round, regular. Colour, yellowish-green with dull red flush covered with russet. Flesh, crisp, yellow, aromatic. Eye, closed, in a rather deep basin. Stem, short in a very deep cavity. Growth, vigorous; fertile. Origin, of great antiquity; recorded in the sixteenth century in France, its country of origin. An apple of excellent quality.