PDO varieties

Corne, Marbot, Grandjean and Franquette... Let's be clear!

The Noix du Périgord PDO brings together not one, but four varieties under a single designation. And depending on the variety, the PDO distinguishes between three forms: fresh walnuts, dry walnuts and walnut kernels. Do you follow? No ?

Nut shapes

The walnut-shell

First of all, you need to know that the walnut does not come directly with its beautiful golden shell. Initially, it is wrapped in a green body called the husk. Once it has matured, from mid-September, it falls from the tree and separates from its shell. It is sometimes necessary to give it a little help by gently removing the husk. We advise you to wear gloves, as the husk has the unfortunate tendency to leave marks.

Undried, the nuts are sold straight away and eaten within a short space of time. They are very rich in water, the kernel is white and the small skin gives them a slightly bitter taste. They are easy to peel.

As a fresh product, it is also fragile and should be kept in the fridge and eaten quickly.

The dried walnut is picked in early October, as soon as it falls naturally to the ground. They are immediately washed and dried in hot-air dryers. This reduces the moisture content of the nut to 12%.

They can be stored in a cool, dry place, away from light, all year round.

The walnut kernel

Once the walnuts have dried, part of the production is used for breaking to extract the precious kernel. As you can imagine, this is a very delicate stage. Using a mallet, the shell is broken with a sharp blow to remove the whole kernel if possible.

The kernels are then sorted according to their shape (quarter, half, etc.) and colour.

The different varieties of walnut

The Périgord terroir has given rise to 3 of the 4 varieties covered by the Protected Designation of Origin: Corne, Marbot and Grandjean were all born in the Périgord production area.

La Corne

It is found in the canton of Ayen in Corrèze, extending into Hautefort in the Dordogne. It has a PDO for walnuts in shell and kernel. It is a walnut with a solid shell and a sweet, very fine kernel. It is mainly used for eating.

The Marbot

This walnut comes from the Meyssac, Beaulieu and Argentat areas in Corrèze. It has a PDO for walnuts in shell only. It is a large, round nut. Its earliness makes it a favourite fresh nut.

Grandjean

This is grown around Sarlat in the Dordogne and has a PDO in the kernel form only. It is a round nut whose fleshy kernel has a pronounced flavour, with a hint of bitterness.

Franquette

This is widely grown in the 4 départements covered by the PDO. It has a PDO for walnuts in shell and kernel. It is an oblong nut. Its kernel is blond and its aroma is delicate with a slight hazelnut flavour. It is the only variety introduced into the Périgord appellation area from outside. It has become perfectly integrated throughout the production area.