WineCrisp™ Apple
Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
WineCrisp™ apples are a small to medium-sized cultivar, averaging 6 to 6.5 centimeters in diameter, and have a round, conical, to oblate shape with a slightly lopsided nature. The apples are typically harvested when they reach 200 grams in weight and showcase prominent tan lenticels. The skin is semi-thin, being easily bruised or damaged, and is taut, matte, and rough. WineCrisp™ apples have yellow-green base hues and are covered in large patches of dark red-purple blush. The blush also contains some dark purple broken striping. Some apples may have spots of russet, giving the surface a textured feel. Underneath the surface, the ivory to cream-colored flesh is firm, dense, coarse, and aqueous with a breaking, crisp, and chewy consistency. The flesh also encases a central fibrous core filled with tiny black-brown seeds. WineCrisp™ apples are edible raw when ripe and are mildly aromatic with a sweet, floral, fruity, and grassy scent. The flesh has a subacid, fruity, sweet-tart, citrusy, and spice-filled flavor. WineCrisp™ apples are said to reach peak flavor after being kept in storage for around one month.
Seasons/Availability
WineCrisp™ apples are harvested in the fall and are professionally stored through the spring.
Current Facts
WineCrisp™ apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are an American variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The late-season variety grows on large, deciduous, and spreading trees reaching 4 to 6 meters in height and was commercially released in the late 20th to early 21st centuries. WineCrisp™ apples were selectively bred for improved disease resistance and flavor. The variety is immune to scab and has resistance to powdery mildew and fireblight. WineCrisp™ apples also hold well on the tree, are cold tolerant, have extended storage properties, and the trees are productive, producing large crops that must be thinned to maintain annual bearing. Since their commercial release, WineCrisp™ apples have been appreciated by consumers for their unusual matte coloring, firm flesh, and complex sweet-tart flavoring. The apples are a multi-purpose cultivar utilized fresh or cooked in a wide array of sweet or savory preparations.
Nutritional Value
WineCrisp™ apples have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Like other bi-colored apples, the variety may be a source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract, iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, and vitamin E to protect the cells against free radical damage. Apples also provide potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, calcium to build strong bones and teeth, vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, and other nutrients, including zinc, copper, vitamins K, magnesium, and boron. The apple's pigmented skin contains anthocyanins, natural compounds with antioxidant-like properties that reduce inflammation and contribute to overall bodily health.
Applications
WineCrisp™ apples have a complex sweet-tart flavor suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The variety is commonly eaten straight out of hand and has a firm, hard nature, making it a chewy, crunchy experience. WineCrisp™ apples can also be sliced and served with dips such as nut butter, caramel, or chocolate, layered into sandwiches and burgers, or chopped and tossed into salads and fruit medleys. Try adding WineCrisp™ apples to parfaits or using the fruits as an edible topping over pancakes, waffles, and grain bowls. The apples are also served on cheese plates or thinly sliced and added to fresh spring rolls for texture. In addition to fresh preparations, WineCrisp™ apples hold their shape well when cooked and can be baked into pies, tarts, crisps, cobblers, bread, and muffins. They can also be fried into fritters, stuffed and baked whole, or used as a filling for turnovers. WineCrisp™ apples have a dynamic flavor, allowing them to be simmered into jams, jellies, and syrups. They can also be cooked into sauces or roasted, serving as a side dish to meat main dishes. WineCrisp™ apples pair well with caramel, honey, maple syrup, spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg, nuts including almonds, walnuts, and peanuts, cabbages, onions, and herbs such as parsley, rosemary, and mint. Whole, unwashed WineCrisp™ apples will keep for several months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place such as the refrigerator’s crisper drawer. In professional cold storage, the variety will keep for 6 to 8 months.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
WineCrisp™ apples are the 19th apple variety out of 44 cultivars released through the PRI Disease Resistant Apple Breeding Program. Purdue University, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and the University of Illinois partnered to form PRI in 1945, and the program’s purpose was to breed disease-resistant apple varieties, especially resistant to scab. Apple scab is the leading disease plaguing the commercial apple industry. Some growers are forced to spray for the fungal pathogen at least 10 to 20 times per season, leading to increased cultivation costs and a strain on the environment. WineCrisp™ apples carry the Vf gene for scab resistance, making them immune to the disease. This variety does not have to be sprayed during cultivation, and the gene was sourced from having Malus floribunda, a wild species, in its parentage. When WineCrisp™ apples were first bred, they were labeled in the program as PRI 2463-100 and later named Co-op 31 in the late 20th century. The variety was also given a commercial marketing name of WineCrisp™ for increased consumer appeal in retail markets. WineCrisp™ was selected as the apple has a complex flavor profile with subtle sweet, spice-filled, tart, and fruity nuances reminiscent of a fine wine. The apple’s dark purple-red, matte coloring also inspired the variety’s name, evoking a similar shade to red wine.
Geography/History
WineCrisp™ apples are native to the United States and were developed by the PRI Disease Resistant Apple Breeding Program in the late 20th century. PRI is a collaborative partnership between Purdue University, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and the University of Illinois. Since its creation, the apple breeding program has produced over 1,500 selections of apples and has selected 44 for advanced testing and possible commercial release. WineCrisp™ apples were bred by L.F. Hough at Rutgers University in New Jersey in 1969. The variety was created from a cross between the pollen parent PRI 841-103 and the seed parent Rock 41-112. PRI 841-103 apples have a complex breeding lineage with Malus floribunda 821, Jonathan, Staking Delicious, and Rome Beauty apples. Rock 41-112 apples have Jonathan, Edgewood, Yellow Newton, Cox’s Orange Pippin, and Red Rome Beauty apples in their lineage. After the initial cross, seedlings were chosen for advanced screenings for scab at Purdue University. Later, in 1970, the seedlings were planted at the University of Illinois’ Pomology Research Farm in Urbana, Illinois. In 1976, breeder D.F. Dayton chose one seedling from the selection and named it PRI 2463-100, also acquiring the name Co-op 31 in 1990. When Co-op 31 apples were released to commercial markets, especially in the early 21st century, they were rebranded under the name WineCrisp™. Today, WineCrisp™ apples are sold through specialty retailers, distributors, and farmer’s markets in the United States, Europe, and Canada.
