Swiss Gourmet (aka Arlet) Apple

Overview

Swiss Gourmet apple, the same cultivar known internationally as Arlet, is a Swiss-bred dessert apple valued for its balanced sweet-tart flavor, crisp juicy flesh, and attractive red-blushed appearance over a yellow background. It is traditionally grown for fresh eating and general kitchen use, and many growers appreciate it for its pleasing texture and moderate storage ability. 

Origin & History

Swiss Gourmet is the North American name for the apple cultivar Arlet, which was developed at the Swiss Federal Research Station in Wädenswil, Switzerland. The cross that produced Arlet was made in 1958 between Golden Delicious (seed parent) and Idared (pollen parent). The first fruit from the cross was harvested in 1968, and the variety entered European orchards during the 1970s. Around 1984–1986, propagation material was sent to the Pacific Northwest (Washington and Oregon) and the apple became known in the U.S. as Swiss Gourmet.

Fruit & Uses

Swiss Gourmet apples are medium to medium-large with skin that is yellow beneath a red blush and flesh that is creamy white to yellowish. The flavor is pleasant, balanced, and crisp, combining sweetness and mild tartness in a way that many growers and eaters find enjoyable fresh. It is commonly used for fresh eating, and is also suitable for general culinary uses such as baking, cooking, sauces, and salads. Under proper cool storage, the fruit is often reported to keep for about one to three months.

Growth Habit

Swiss Gourmet have moderate vigor and productivity with a tendency to bear fruit at a young age. The trees have a slightly drooping habit and can be productive once established when thinned appropriately, as occasional biennial tendencies can occur without thinning. 

Spacing

We offer Swiss Gourmet on Bud 118, a practical spacing range is 15 feet between trees, allowing room for canopy development and airflow. Depending on site fertility and pruning management, spacing can be tighter or wider than this.

Pollination

Swiss Gourmet is not self-fertile and requires a compatible apple pollenizer to set a full crop. Its pollination group is typically reported as group B/2 in standard apple bloom group systems, indicating mid-season bloom relative to many other dessert apples. Examples of apples we offer to partner with Swiss Gourmet include: William's Pride, McIntosh, Empire, Frostbite, Snowsweet, Wolf River, and many others.

Cold hardiness

Although we do not have too much experience with this apple, Purvis notes that Swiss Gourmet is hardy to -40F, and lists the apple as a zone 3a. Therefore, it should be good for the majority of western MT, apart from only the coldest places here (i.e. Potomac or higher elevation areas such as Philipsburg/Anaconda), and caution should be planted east of the divide, with the only places that would do well would be Billings and some of the warmer surrounding valleys. Winter performance will depend on acclimation timing, site exposure, and duration of cold, and growers in climates with severe long-duration lows should consider this when selecting trees for light-frost or frigid zones. Zone 3a.

Other Notes

Swiss Gourmet/Arlet is described in multiple authoritative references as susceptible to common apple diseases such as apple scab, powdery mildew, and cedar-apple rust where those pathogens are present. This susceptibility means that cultural practices—such as maintaining good airflow around trees, balanced nutrition, and judicious pruning—are important in regions prone to wet springs or disease pressure. While some commercial sources highlight its storage quality, it is best approached as a moderately storing dessert apple rather than a long-term keeper compared with late-season storage cultivars.