marechal

Marechal is a small to medium-sized, bittersweet cider apple from Normandy, France. We obtained our scionwood from the USDA Geneva collection (PI 589128). Our trees are growing well, productive and precocious. They began bearing young, and we’re very happy with the fruit quality so far. This should be a good cultivar for cider makers in northern districts.

The spongy, juicy, sweet, astringent and mildly bitter fruit is round-oblate. It is nearly entirely red except for the distinctive brownish-russet stem splash that spills out over the rim of the cavity.

The apple reminds me of my favorite pitcher in the 1960’s when I was fanatic San Francisco Giants fan. One of the best games I ever attended was on July 2, 1963 when “Juan Antonio Marichal Sánchez” (aka Juan Marichal) and the Milwaukee Braves’ Warren Spahn both pitched 16 scoreless innings until Willie Mays hit a one-run walk-off homer to win for the Giants. Currently growing at Super Chilly Farm.