Description
Noir de Bourgogne takes its name from Burgundy, and it is the black currant traditionally used to make creme de cassis, the French liqueur that made this fruit famous outside the garden.
What that means in practice is intensity. The fruit is powerfully aromatic, which is exactly what a liqueur or a cordial needs, and it sets the benchmark that other black currants are measured against. Grow it for cassis, cordial, syrup and jam rather than for a fruit bowl.
Overview
- The traditional creme de cassis variety.
- Intensely aromatic; the benchmark for black currant flavor.
- A famous French heirloom from Burgundy.
- Made for liqueur, cordial, syrup and jam.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Ribes nigrum ‘Noir De Bourgogne’
Site and Soil: 1/2 day to full day of sun; rich, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 3
Rootstock: Grown from cuttings
Bearing Age: Light crop the year after planting; full crops by the third or fourth year
Size at Maturity: Upright and compact, about 3 to 5 ft tall and wide
Ripening Time: Mid season; July into August
Pollination: Self-fertile; one bush sets a full crop, and a second currant nearby increases berry size
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: Cassis is simple: ripe fruit, spirit, sugar, time. The reason it is worth making is that the aroma of this variety survives all three.
- Regional Insight: Currants are cool-climate fruit, at their best where summers stay moderate and winters are properly cold.
- Explore more berries in our collection: Berries
