Cerise Alzonaise d’Aguessac
The alzonaise is an ancient variety of dark red cherry, small to medium size, with a very long stem, very high flavour quality and stores well. As of the start of the 18th century, as confirmed by the writings of the poet Claude Peyrot, cherries were grown in South Aveyron, on the banks of the Tarn. But it was at the end of the 19th century that the region of Aguessac gained a special reputation linked to the production of various cherry varieties that would come to be known as “Aguessac cherries”, which would frequently appear in Millau markets, or shipped to Bordeaux. According to Evelyne Leterme, these were local varieties, especially the Alzonaise, but there were others too that have probably disappeared (including a small black cherry with a very short stem, and the Jerusalem cherry, a large tender cherry, late-ripening, heart-shaped). Production in southern Aveyron, more late-growing, historically took over from the large producing regions in the Rhone valley and around the Mediterranean.
Historically, the Alzonaise cherry was mainly used as a sweet cherry, eaten fresh, but also cooked in clafoutis and other pies. It was also customary to store these cherries in brandy, and they were used to make jams and liqueurs.
There are several elements that explain the specialisation of the Tarn Valley upstream of Millau into a cherry-growing region: a “grasal” soil—clayey and covered with a stony mix—that easily drains while keeping its depths cool; a weather with cold winters, but hot springs and summers, in a well-oriented valley that seems to satisfy cherry trees, and fruit trees in general; lastly, the presence of an indigenous rootstock, the “pudis” (prunus mahaleb) that is suited to this climate. This cherry farming replaced vineyards after the vineyard crisis of the 1950s.
Starting in 1945, and especially in 1960 and 1970 when planting was done on plots for more intensive farming, the Alzonaise was gradually replaced by new varieties that were more profitable and more regular, so that today they only represent a tiny fraction of production. The reason: its very long stem that would not pack well in crates, its small size, and the arrival on the market of large, firm Bigarreau cherries (according to the imposition of large sizes by the channels of distribution), encouraging the transportation of sweeter cherries when ripe, such as Coeur-de-pigeon, Montauban cherries, then Napoleon, Burlat or Reverchon.
Today, production is highly secret, because while the variety has been saved (three trees are present at the Maison de la Cerise, which offers grafts at the tree fair, and at some nurseries), the Alzonaise is no longer mass produced. In general, it is found as isolated trees (1 to 10 trees) owned by producers (the Aveyron is the department that produces the most cherries from isolated trees) or individuals who occasionally sell their limited harvest.
Historiquement, la cerise alzonaise était utilisée en cerise de table principalement, consommée fraîche, mais aussi en tartes et autres clafoutis. Il était aussi d’usage de conserver les cerises dans de l’eau-de-vie, et elles entraient dans la composition de confitures ou de liqueurs.
Plusieurs éléments expliquent la spécialisation en cerisier de la Vallée du Tarn en amont de Millau : un sol de type « grasal » - argileux recouvert d’un mélange pierreux - qui draine facilement tout en gardant la fraîcheur en profondeur ; des conditions météorologiques avec des hivers froids, mais des printemps et étés chauds dans une vallée bien orientée ce qui semble satisfaire les cerisiers et plus largement les arbres fruitiers ; enfin, la présence d’un porte-greffe autochtone le « pudis » (prunus mahaleb) adapté à ce climat. Cette culture de cerise a prix la place des vignes suite à la crise viticole des années 1950.
A partir de 1945, et surtout entre 1960 et 1970 quand les plantations furent effectuées en parcelles pour une exploitation plus intensive, l’alzonaise a été progressivement remplacée par de nouvelles variétés plus rentables et plus régulières jusqu’à ne représenter aujourd’hui qu’une part infime de la production. En cause : sa queue très longue qui ne ferait pas de jolis cageots, son petit calibre, et l’arrivée sur le marché des gros bigarreaux bien fermes (suivant l’imposition de gros calibres par les circuits de distribution)supportant les transports, et plus sucrés à maturité tels que la Coeur-de-pigeon, la rouge de Montauban, puis la Napoléon, la Burlat ou la Reverchon.
Aujourd’hui la production est très confidentielle, car si la variété a été sauvegardée (3 arbres sont présents à la Maison de la Cerise qui propose des greffons lors de la foire de l’arbre, et chez quelques pépiniéristes), l’alzonaise ne serait plus produite en grand. On la retrouve en général sous formes d’arbres isolés (1 à 10 arbres) chez les producteurs (l’Aveyron est le département qui produit le plus de cerises à partir d’arbres isolés) ou chez des particuliers qui commercialisent à l’occasion leur petite récolte.
