Griottines

THE ORCHARD

A 200 HECTARE AREA DEDICATED TO GRIOTTINES®

The work of the distiller and the agriculturalist begins when the first wild cherries start to flower, from which point they will be monitored until the fruit has become fully ripe: irrigation determines the caliber of the fruit, and sunlight determines its fructose content.

Depending on these criteria, as well as the firmness of the fruit, Grandes Distilleries Peureux decides on the precise areas to be harvested and the quantities per area. The first challenge is the fact that Oblachinska sour cherries, which have a very particular flavor and form and are the only type used to make Griottines, only grow in the Balkans.

The orchard: an area of 200 ha dedicated to Griottines in the Balkans

Harvesting: 500 million wild cherries picked by hand

PICKING THE FRUIT

Over 500 million wild Morello cherries are picked by hand. Picking the fruit is done exclusively by hand, by specially trained staff, and the fruit must absolutely be harvested without the stem.

For thirty years, Grandes Distilleries Peureux has continuously developed and mastered the cultivation of these Morello cherries so that today, over 500 million of these little perfectly round, bright red rubies are harvested in just 3 weeks.

First of all, the morello cherries are taken to the collection center, which is located as close as possible to the harvesting site, where they are washed and sorted for the first time. The fruit is then graded to ensure that any which are not between 14 and 20mm in diameter are not kept. In 2006, 16,856 barrels were filled during the harvest.

A UNIQUE RECIPE

First maceration

Once on site, the cherries are then immersed in barrels of liqueur from Fougerolles for their first maceration. They must not be left for more than six hours to ensure that the flavor and the physical qualities of the fruit are not lost – these must absolutely be preserved throughout the entire development process.

The maceration barrels are sent to Fougerolles. During transport and throughout the resting stage that follows their arrival, the cherries slowly exchange flavors with the liqueur in the barrel by way of the natural phenomenon of osmosis.

De-stoning: surgical precision

The cherries are then sorted once again and graded, this time to select only those with a diameter of 18-20mm before a crucial stage: de-stoning. This is one of the most delicate phases, as it is breaks into the fruit and there is a risk of it tearing when removing the stone. The company has designed a unique machine that is capable of positioning the cherry in such a way that the stone is removed through the scar from the stem of the fruit. This operation makes it possible to achieve a fruit with a perfect appearance despite the absence of its stone.

Macerations: Tricks and secrets

The de-stoned cherries are then immersed in different liqueurs for subsequent macerations. It is the master liquorist who determines the formulation and number of these macerations, as well as the length of time for each of them, in accordance with expertise and secrets passed down by way of tradition. At each stage, the fruit is filled with new flavors. The final maceration adds the final touch of Kirsch, which definitively baptizes them as Griottines. The fruit and its liqueurs, which then measure 15% alcohol by volume, are ready to be packaged.

Griottines, a unique recipe with secrets and tricks

Quality

Stringent tests

The Grandes Distilleries Peureux laboratories are a benchmark within the industry. Once the barrels arrive, each one is checked. Rigorous tests are carried out by sampling. They examine the fruit, their physical and organoleptic properties, as well as the quality of the first maceration.

PACKAGING

A seductive case, symbolic of the brand

First the casing, which is both a box and a frame. A perfect square, completely smooth, exceedingly modern. Tinted with red, it plays on its transparency and asserts a tremendous elegance. By its translucent nature, it takes on a perfectly spherical, round like the earth, round like the fruit; where the metallic reflections and the wall of completely pure glass enhance the spectacular natural beauty of Griottines.