In Carmelo, we found a grower who not only shares our dedication to revolutionary flavour, but who, like us, is constantly pushing towards a new flavour peak. Not many growers would have taken the risk of picking their citrus long before its usual harvest, but Carmelo trusted our instinct and applied his own knowledge to help make a revolutionary new category of seasonality - Green Citrus.
Carmelo’s groves lie in the Sicilian region of Scordia, high above sea level where the altitude and unique microclimate create the ideal growing conditions for citrus: mild days and cold nights. This tension heightens the levels of anthocyanins in the fruit, resulting in intense pigmentation and a greater complexity of flavour.
Beyond his prime location, we work with Carmelo because his growing artistry represents the craftsmanship that we believe goes into producing exceptional produce. Drawing on years of experience and his natural instincts, Carmelo nurtures his orchards with the same care and individuality that an artist paints a picture. He has spent years finding the perfect growing conditions for his each of his varieties: altitude, soil type, rootstock. He is in the groves throughout the year, pruning the trees by hand to ensure that they reach their full potential when it comes to fruiting. It is the level of critical attention to his work that raises Carmelo’s produce above the level of anything else on the market.
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Green Citrus
Oct - Nov
At our request, Carmelo harvests his Mandarins and Navel Oranges in their potent, green state. Carmelo selects the most promising fruit and picks them up to eight weeks before they would normally appear on the market.
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Leafy Navel Orange
Nov - Jan
The first of the winter oranges to ripen, Carmelo’s Navels are heavy with juice and their thick, unwaxed skin carries a fragrant acidity. Classic, compelling perfection.
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Moro Blood Oranges
Jan - Apr
Carmelo grows two varieties of Blood Oranges: Moro and Sanguinello. Moro are the most highly-colored of his blood oranges, owing their distinctive flesh to the presence of anthocyanin, the same antioxidant that tints purple grapes. Sanguinello ripen later in the season. Their flesh has the same intensity of colour as Moro but a higher concentration of natural sugars.
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Tacle
Jan - Apr
Rarely seen outside Italy, Tacle are a cross between a Tarocco orange and a Clementine. Abandoned by commercial growers due to their low yield, Carmelo perseveres for the variety’s unique combination of Tarocco pigmentation and Clementine sweetness.
