While the color may suggest the start of the season, true Nadorcott ripeness —the one you taste— is still on its way.
Across Valencia’s citrus groves, Nadorcott mandarins are beginning to show their characteristic orange color. While this visual change often gives the impression that the fruit is ready to pick, internal ripening still has a way to go.
Nadorcott is a mid-to-late-season mandarin typically harvested in Spain between January and April. Its great appeal lies in the balance between sweetness, acidity, and vibrant color.
During the autumn of 2025, weather conditions have encouraged slightly earlier coloration than usual. Warm days followed by cooler nights promote chlorophyll degradation and carotenoid synthesis, responsible for the fruit’s orange tone. However, the accumulation of sugars (°Brix) and the reduction in acidity —the true indicators of maturity— progress more gradually.
Other factors, such as moderate water stress, lighter fruit loads, or specific irrigation and nutrition management, can also cause the fruit to color earlier without being internally ripe.
For this reason, our company performs regular maturity-index monitoring (°Brix/acidity ratio) across all groves before starting harvest. This ensures that the fruit reaches the market at its optimal flavor, sweetness, and internal quality.