van Nahmen Constantinople Apple Quince Nectar. Quince nectar from an heirloom orchard variety – tart-sweet, aromatic, with at least 85% fruit.

van Nahmen Constantinople Apple Quince Nectar is a single-variety quince nectar from Hamminkeln in the Lower Rhine region. It is pressed from the Constantinople apple quince, which grows in old meadow orchards in the Lower Rhine and Münsterland regions. Quince juice, water, and sugar, fruit content at least 85%, 0.75 l.

Constantinople Apple Quince Nectar by van Nahmen bears a name that is slightly misleading: there is no apple in it. According to the producer, "apple quince" merely describes the round, apple-like shape of the fruit. The variety itself originally comes from the eastern Mediterranean. Raw quinces are hard and barely edible, but their juice is intense. To turn it into a beverage, the juice factory mixes the juice with a little water and sugar to create a nectar. Because the fruits are so flavorful, the fruit content remains very high at at least 85%.

Taste

The quince is a fruit of contrasts, and this nectar shows both sides. A subtle sweetness meets a tart, fresh acidity. The producer describes its character as dry and aromatic. That is exactly how it comes across in the glass: more like a companion to a meal than a sweet juice.

The aroma carries the typical quince scent that many know from jelly in grandma's pantry. On the palate, the sweetness remains restrained; according to the nutritional information, there are 7.8 g of sugar per 100 ml. The tart note remains present until the very last sip. If you are looking for a fruity-sweet juice for children, an apple juice would be a better choice.

Usage

According to the producer, it tastes best pure, at 10 to 12 °C. If you prefer it lighter, mix it 1:1 with sparkling water.

Its true strength is revealed at the dining table. The producer compares it to a white Burgundy, and that is how it can be paired. It goes well with freshwater and saltwater fish, crustaceans, chicken, turkey, and veal, ideally prepared in the French style. The tasting note mentions zander, turbot, boiled beef (Tafelspitz), and saltimbocca. Try it with zander in a beurre blanc or with boiled beef and horseradish, as its sweetness balances out the heat. It also pairs well with chicken with tarragon or a veal roast with cream sauce.

Keep an opened bottle in the refrigerator and consume it within five days.

Our tip: For Sunday dinner, pour the nectar into white wine glasses instead of juice glasses. This allows the quince aroma to shine, and it makes the table feel more festive.

Origin

The Constantinople apple quince grows in old meadow orchards and home gardens in the Lower Rhine and Münsterland regions. The trees from which van Nahmen sources the fruit are, according to the producer, many decades old. Their fruit is considered particularly flavorful. The quinces only reach full maturity in mid-October. The juice factory prefers to process fruits from old meadow orchards in this region, and the quince is one of the varieties that still grow there today.

The van Nahmen fruit press in Hamminkeln presses all local fruits itself. It has been family-owned since 1917: Rainer van Nahmen took over management in 1990, and since 2005, Dr. Peter van Nahmen has been running the business in the fourth generation, together with his wife Sabine. Those who visit in person can find the entire range of juices in the farm shop and are welcome to sample them.

For whom

For connoisseurs who enjoy a glass with character alongside their plate. And for everyone who loves to cook and bake with quinces in the autumn. For quince lovers who otherwise only know the fruit as jelly or paste. As a gift for an autumn meal, the bottle is a wonderful surprise. The quince is also available sparkling and in organic quality as Apple Quince Fruit Secco. Fresh and delicate pink is the Frambozen Rhubarb Nectar. You can find all juices and nectars at van Nahmen.

This quince nectar is not suitable for those who expect a sweet fruit juice – it is tart, dry, and made for the dining table.

Constantinople apple quince from old orchard trees – the tart-sweet quince nectar from Hamminkeln for fish, veal, and Sunday dinner.