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PGI — Corsica
When a Corsican offers you a pomelo, they give you two gifts: the sweet, aromatic juice of a fruit that has undergone no chemical treatment, and the Mediterranean warmth of its plain, cultivated by those who fled North Africa. An unadorned citrus fruit, just as the tree produced it.
Fruit from Corsica, PGI (IGP) since 2014.
In France, terminological confusion has persisted for decades. Botanically, the word 'pamplemousse' refers to Citrus maxima, a very bulky Asian citrus fruit (weighing up to 8 kg) with thick skin that is rare in Europe. Yet more than 95% of the fruit sold in France under the name 'pamplemousse' are in reality pomelos (Citrus paradisi), sweeter, less acidic, and less bitter than the true pamplemousse.
The pomelo itself, genus Citrus paradisi, is a natural hybrid between the pamplemousse tree (Citrus maxima) and the sweet orange (Citrus sinensis). This chance cross occurred in Barbados, where seeds of Citrus maxima were introduced in 1693; its present form, smaller than the original pamplemousse, had already spread across the Caribbean by 1750. It is the only citrus fruit not native to Asia, originating instead in the West Indies. Corsica produces exclusively pomelo — never pamplemousse.
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Following the end of the Algerian War in 1962, more than a million pieds-noirs were forced to leave North Africa; around 20,000 of them resettled in Corsica. Many, as experienced farmers, discovered the eastern plain of Haute-Corse — long marshy and under-exploited — and recognised it as a favourable terroir. Within about ten years, the plain was completely transformed with the establishment of citrus groves and vineyards.
The station de recherche agronomique de San Giuliano (INRA-IRFA), which from 1958–1959 introduced the major white- and coloured-flesh pomelo varieties to Corsica, played a decisive role in this transformation: it was this station that validated, variety after variety, the pedoclimatic conditions of the plain for citrus fruits. The clémentine quickly established itself as the flagship crop of the new orchards; the pomelo, however, initially remained an object of experimentation — several varieties tested at the station suffered from flaws (fruit drop before maturity, bitterness, lack of colour) that long held back their commercial adoption.
Located on the 42nd parallel north, Corsica lies at the northern limit of the citrus-growing zone in Europe — a situation that benefits the Star Ruby variety: the island provides it with just enough accumulated heat to complete its cycle to optimal ripeness, without the extremes that would stunt its growth. The geographical area combines maritime influence with the proximity of Corsica's mountainous relief, tempering temperatures and increasing rainfall and humidity compared to other citrus-producing regions — between 650 and 900 mm of rain per year, a precious resource for a fruit as juice-demanding as the pomelo.
This moderate climate has a dual effect: a thinner skin, spared the water and heat stress suffered by pomelos of other origins, and a more intense red internal colouration — the Corsican pomelo boasts a lycopene content five to eight times higher than that of other pink varieties, a potential that the mild island climate is sufficient to unlock. The trees have demonstrated their cold hardiness: during the severe frosts of 1985 and 1986, they suffered no damage, the fruit remaining protected beneath the foliage. Finally, insularity shields the orchards from serious viral diseases such as Tristeza or Stubborn, which are present in almost all other citrus-growing areas of the world.
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Following decades of varietal trials at the San Giuliano station, it was in the 1990s that the Star Ruby pomelo became a genuine commercial crop in Corsica, alongside a clémentine already well established and dominant in the markets. From the outset, the sector staked its reputation on differentiation through quality and naturalness: unlike a large proportion of imported pomelos, which often receive post-harvest phytosanitary preservative treatments, the Corsican pomelo is packed within the geographical area and delivered without any chemical post-harvest treatment.
In 2014, PGI (IGP) recognition crowned this distinctiveness, following national approval of the specifications in 2012. These set strict requirements: ten permitted sizes (diameter 81 to 139 mm), categories Extra and I only, juice content ≥ 38%, zero treatment after picking. This certification allows the Corsican pomelo to hold its own with pride in upmarket markets, alongside PGI clémentine and kiwi corse.
Pomelo de Corse PGI is produced from only a single variety: Star Ruby. It originated in Texas following a breeding programme launched in 1959 using induced mutagenesis (thermal neutron irradiation) of the Hudson variety; its distribution to American nurserymen did not begin until 1970. Introduced to Corsica at the San Giuliano station in April 1974 and again in November 1977, it proved to be the best suited to the island, with abundant flowering in clusters, seedless fruit, a beautiful red internal colouration, and an aromatic, sweet flavour. In theory, the specifications authorise any new variety validated according to a selection protocol, but to this day Star Ruby remains the only one commercially grown on the island.
Other pomelo varieties — including the white-fleshed Marsh Seedless — were indeed tested at the San Giuliano station from the late 1950s onwards, alongside Star Ruby. But their commercial cultivation never developed in Corsica: fruit drop before maturity, thick skin, bitterness, and a lack of colour in pink or red varieties proved their undoing. Under PGI, only ten sizes are marketable (diameter 81 to 139 mm), in categories Extra and I.
Appearance
Smooth yellow skin, which may feature an orange-red blush on the surface; pink to red, even purple flesh, well-formed segments
Aroma
Fragrant, with notes of fresh citrus
Flavour
Fragrant and sweet, with a light note of acidity and no bitterness
Juice
Highly abundant — minimum 38% of the fruit's mass
Texture
Tender, juicy pulp
Seeds
None
The major commercial argument for the Corsican pomelo is not advertising — it is the absence of treatment. The PGI specifications explicitly mandate it: grading, storage, sorting, and packaging operations take place within the geographical area, and the fruit undergoes no chemical phytosanitary preservative treatment after harvest — unlike a large proportion of imported pomelos, which commonly receive fungicide treatments or preservative coatings to withstand long journeys.
This requirement comes with a downside openly acknowledged by the specifications themselves: left 'bare', the fruit remains more vulnerable to shocks and bruising during prolonged bulk transport, demanding short, meticulous logistics from orchard to stall. For the consumer, it is the guarantee of a fruit just as it left the tree — free of synthetic residues on both skin and zest.
analyses per fruit block verify acidity, sugar content, and juice rate (≥ 38%) before picking is authorised.
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The Corsican pomelo excels freshly squeezed — a glass of fresh juice in the morning provides vitamin C and natural sugars, with a juice content of at least 38% mandated by the specifications. Star Ruby, the only variety grown on the island, offers a tender pink, sweet juice with little bitterness, ideal for anyone who dislikes the harshness of true pamplemousse.
Halved, it is another classic way to enjoy it: sliced in two, scooped out with a grapefruit spoon (a specialised serrated knife), then eaten directly, perhaps with a spoonful of miel de maquis corse or brown sugar.
In savoury dishes, the pomelo comes into its own alongside diced avocado, peeled prawns, a Corsican olive oil vinaigrette, and a pinch of fleur de sel. In sweet dishes: pomelo jam, a refreshing granita after a heavy meal, a delicate accompaniment to oven-roasted white fish, or a seafood platter.
Since: 2014
Area covered: Citrus-growing communes of Haute-Corse (2B) and Corse-du-Sud (2A), below 300 m in altitude and less than 15 km from the sea
Key requirements: Star Ruby variety, 10 size grades (diameter 81–139 mm) in categories Extra and I, juice ≥38%, zero post-harvest treatment
Reference: Homologation nationale 2012 — règlement d'exécution (UE) n° 1051/2014.
Association
Association
Cooperative
Family-run
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Agrucorse markets Clémentine de Corse PGI (since 2007) and Pomelo de Corse PGI (since 2014), as well as oranges, lemons, limes, finger limes and hazelnuts, for a claimed volume of around 10,000 tonnes of fruit per year. The group claims PGI, Agriculture Biologique, IFS Food, IFS Broker, Global GAP, Haute Valeur Environnementale and Label Rouge certifications, and indicates that it has been partnered since 2023 with the Atelier Corse du Fruit et Légume in Linguizzetta, dedicated to processing fruit excluded from sale. An independent trade article notes that Agrucorse also markets around 600 tonnes of kiwi fruit per season, alongside clementines (7,000 t) and pomelos (800 t).
| Address | Pratali, 20213 Penta-di-Casinca, France |
| 04 95 38 18 19 | |
| agrucorse@orange.fr | |
| agrucorse.org | |
| Facebook page | |
| @agru_corse | |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 2009. |
Family-run
Domaines de la Taste describes itself as a family farm in the eastern plain of Pianiccia, between sea and mountains, farmed for over 60 years across 110 hectares. In 1964, on what was then only maquis, Yves and Geneviève de la Taste planted vines and the first plots of clementines; their son Bertrand joined the property in 1984 and expanded it by 30 hectares. Today, the farm is run by three brothers, Loïc, Anthony and Yoann, who describe themselves as descending from this family of Corsican farmers.
The estate states that it committed in 2015 to converting to 100% organic production, highlighted as a core pillar of its practices (quality, ecology, traceability). It sells PGI (IGP) clementines, pomelos, passion fruits, avocados, oranges and lemons, available directly with delivery throughout France, along with tree sponsorship schemes and subscription options.
| Address | Pianiccia, 20270 Tallone, France |
| +33 4 95 56 37 69 | |
| domainesdelataste.com | |
| Facebook page | |
| @les_domaines_de_la_taste | |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 2016. |
