Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat, Winter Wheat, 1800's French Heirloom

Rouge de Bordeaux has a rich history deeply rooted in traditional French gastronomy.

• The Pride of Aquitaine: Developed in the Bordeaux region during the mid-19th century, this variety became a dominant bread wheat across France by the late 1800s.
• The Baker's Landmark: Before industrial farming favored high-yield, short-statured wheats, French stone-millers relied on Rouge de Bordeaux for its reliability, dough elasticity, and signature scent.
• A Heritage Revival: Kept alive by dedicated seed stewards, it has made a triumphant return among modern artisan bakers who prioritize true flavor over mass production.

Rouge de Bordeaux elevates every stage of the baking process, filling your kitchen with incredible scents long before the loaf leaves the oven.

• Unrivaled Aroma & Flavor: Breads baked from this grain feature a deeply rich, nutty flavor profile, highlighted by warm aromas of cinnamon and sweet baking spices that make home baking a complete sensory joy.
• Superior Gluten Strength: Boasting a robust natural protein content near 14%, this hard red wheat encourages strong gluten network development—an absolute favorite feature for artisan bakers seeking fantastic dough elasticity and oven spring.
• Incredible Kitchen Versatility: This grain does it all! Use it as whole cooked berries for salads and porridges, grind it into a hearty whole wheat flour, or sift it finely into a silky "00" style flour. It performs beautifully in recipes for rustic sourdoughs, country baguettes, tender pancakes, fluffy muffins, and tender cookies.

Rouge de Bordeaux is a tall, elegant wheat (reaching up to 4 feet) with a reddish-golden hue that adds timeless Old World beauty to your garden beds.

Garden Bed Coverage: One packet from Firefly Farm & Mercantile is designed to seed a 20 square foot bed (roughly an 8' to 10' long by 2.5' wide garden bed).

"Rouge de Bordeaux is the complete package for the home grower. The ~14% protein content gives artisan breads amazing structure, and the natural aroma of cinnamon and baking spices while it’s in the oven is unmatched. From hearty sourdough loaves to morning pancakes, it’s the most versatile wheat you can grow."

• Sowing: Broadcast your seeds evenly across a prepared 20 sq. ft. bed and rake them in to a depth of 1 inch. Firm the soil gently.
• Timing: Plant in late autumn in mild-to-moderate winter zones to allow roots to establish before cold weather hits. In colder northern zones, sow in early spring as soon as the ground can be worked.
• Harvesting: The heads and straw turn a warm golden-red as the grain ripens. Harvest when the kernels are rock-hard when pressed with a thumbnail.