Mirabelles de Lorraine (Mirabelle plums)
IGP Mirabelles de Lorraine are round freestone French plums, yellow or golden when ripe, small (diameter >22 mm), cloned from the varieties Mirabelle de Nancy and Mirabelle de Metz (Fam: Rosaceae, sp. Prunus Insistita).
Geographical area : Lorraine (departments of Meuse, Meurthe-etMoselle, Moselle and Vosges).
Evidence of origin : Each producer's orchards are described in detail and recorded. Stock records of the fruit are compared with the records of labels used.
Acquisition : The Mirabelle de Nancy and Mirabelle de Metz varieties are planted in cloned orchards with a minimum area of 50 ares. Soils are dressed follwing analysis of the leaves in the autumn. Stocking density is between 150 and 400 trees per hectare. The fruit is gathered when fully ripe and any with defects are rejected.
Link : The link with the geographical origin is based on the reputation of the product, principally historical references (16th century), on the role of Mirabelle de Lorraine in local cooking and literature and on the continuing existence of local festivals. Lorraine also accounts for 70-80% of production of fresh mirabelle plums in France.
History: Mirabelle plums were first grown in the region in the 16th century
Reference: The European Commission