A Guide to New Zealand Cherry Varieties
By Carla Munn, E-Commerce Manager at Pure Otago Cherries
TL;DR (Quick Answer): Pure Otago Cherries grows 11 cherry varieties across our Central Otago season — including Samba, Santina, Lapin, Rainier, Sweetheart, and Staccato. Each variety ripens at a different point between mid-December and late January, so the specific variety in your box depends on your dispatch date. You can't choose which variety you'll receive, but you can time your delivery to match when your preferred variety is usually ready.
Cherries aren't just cherries. Once you start paying attention, you'll notice that each variety has its own personality — some are firm and traveller-friendly, others are impossibly sweet and delicate. Some ripen right at the start of the season, others hold on until late January. Here's our guide to the varieties we grow, when they're ready, and how to tell which one landed in your box.
What cherry varieties do you grow?
We grow 11 varieties across our Central Otago orchards:
- 🍒 Samba
- 🍒 Santina
- 🍒 Sonnet
- 🍒 Stella
- 🍒 Sandra Rose
- 🍒 Rainier (our white cherry)
- 🍒 Lapin
- 🍒 Regina
- 🍒 Romance
- 🍒 Sweetheart
- 🍒 Staccato
That's 11 different cherry personalities, each with its own ripening window, flavour profile, and best-use suggestion.
Which varieties ripen when during the season?
Here's how the varieties roughly stack up through the season. Keep in mind that Mother Nature runs the show — actual ripening times shift based on weather each year.
| Timing | Varieties |
|---|---|
| Mid to late December | Samba, Santina, Sonnet |
| Late December | Stella, Sandra Rose, Rainier |
| Early to mid-January | Lapin, Regina, Romance |
| Mid to late January | Sweetheart, Staccato |
If you're targeting a specific variety, use this timing guide alongside our website's variety calendar to pick a dispatch date that's likely to line up.
Which variety is the sweetest?
This one's genuinely weather-dependent — more sun means sweeter cherries. That said, many people find Rainier the sweetest because their flavour isn't as "sharp" as red cherries — more like a light, delicate sweetness rather than a bold cherry flavour.
Fun fact: cherry sweetness is measured in Brix, which is basically a scale of sugar content. Ideal Brix for premium cherries sits between 18 and 24. Anything above 20 is genuinely lovely eating.
Which variety is the firmest or best for travelling?
Firmness is also weather-dependent (heat softens cherries fast), but in general the varieties that travel best are:
- Samba — firm, glossy, holds up beautifully in transit
- Santina — also firm and one of our best early-season travellers
- Lapin — the classic reliable variety; large, firm, and consistent
If your box is heading somewhere with a longer transit time, these three are your friends.
Which variety is best for baking or preserving?
Honestly? All our varieties bake beautifully — cherry pie doesn't discriminate. That said, some might say Staccato provides the most unique cherry flavour, with a slightly richer, woodier profile that stands up well when cooked or preserved. It's a subjective call, but if you're making a cherry clafoutis or a jam that you want to really taste "cherry-forward," Staccato is a lovely pick.
Can I choose which variety I receive?
Unfortunately not. Because our cherries are locked into Mother Nature's ripening schedule, we can't offer a choice at the point of purchase. We pack and ship whichever variety is ready at any given time.
If you're keen on a specific variety, here's your best strategy:
- Use our variety guide on the homepage to see which varieties are typically available each week
- Choose a dispatch date that lines up with when your preferred variety is usually ready
- Accept that Mother Nature might have other plans — cherries don't run to a strict calendar
It's a gentle gamble, but often works!
What's the difference between red cherries and white cherries?
The colour is the obvious one — but there's more to it:
| Red Cherries | White Cherries (Rainier) | |
|---|---|---|
| Skin | Deep red to dark mahogany | Pale yellow with a red blush |
| Sweetness | Bold, classic cherry sweetness | Delicate, softer, more "un-cherry-like" |
| Texture | Firmer, more resilient | Softer, more delicate |
| Flavour profile | Rich, tangy, full cherry | Almost like a light dessert |
| Ease of growing | More resilient | Much harder — thinner skins, weather-sensitive |
| Availability | Most of the season | Very limited, short window |
Some people go their whole lives eating only red cherries and never realise white cherries exist. Once they try them, though — they're often hooked.
What's the difference between "premium" and "mixed size" grades?
Size grade is exactly what it sounds like — the physical diameter of the cherry:
- Premium 30mm and 32mm — our larger cherries, harder to grow, produced in smaller volumes. These are your "wow, look at the size of these!" cherries.
- Mixed size (24mm, 26mm, 28mm) — same varieties, same quality, just smaller cherries. Great value and just as delicious.
Every cherry in every box is the same quality regardless of size grade. The only real difference is how impressive they look on the plate.
Why doesn't the website say which variety is in each box?
Because we won't know which variety is going in your box until we pack it! Mother Nature dictates when each variety ripens, and we harvest and pack in real time based on what's ready that day.
But here's a little trick: look for the barcode on the side of your box when you receive it — that tells you which variety was packed inside. So even if we can't tell you at the point of purchase, you'll be able to identify your cherries when they arrive.
The Bottom Line
Cherries are a genuinely diverse fruit family — 11 varieties across our orchards alone, each with its own quirks and best uses. If you're new to cherries, don't stress about picking the "right" variety. Just pick a dispatch date that suits, and know that whatever arrives has been grown, picked, and packed with the same care.
And if you want to make it a fun family game: check the barcode on your box when it arrives, look up the variety, and see if you can taste the difference. Cherry connoisseurs in the making.
