I know that this is officially a wine blog, but we are going to do a little lateral blogging today and venture into the land of cider. Why is fermented fruit not considered a wine? The purist’s definition for wine is that ‘wine is an alcoholic beverage obtained from the fermentation of the juice of freshly gathered grapes.’ Let’s recognize that top quality cider is not just for beer drinkers anymore. The ciders we are featuring display finesse and elegance as well as most grape wines will.Here in the US and in parts of Canada, where the term "cider" almost exclusively refers to non-alcoholic juice or apple cider as we use the phrase hard cider to denote the fermented version. Cider varies in alcoholic content from less than 3% in Cidre Doux to a maximum of around 8%, and appears golden yellow and is sometimes cloudy.
The UK has the highest per capita consumption as well as the largest cider producing companies in the world. The drink is also popular and traditional in Normandy and Brittany in France. Cider is now making a resurgence in both Europe and here in the U S of A.
Conventional apple cider has a relatively high concentration of phenolics and antioxidants which may be helpful for preventing heart disease, cancer, and other ailments. This is, in part, because apples themselves have a decent concentration of phenolics in them to begin with. Cider can also be very acidic and contain high sugar levels.
Cider apples are a group of apple cultivars grown for their use in cider production. Cider apples are grouped into four main types according to the nature of their flavor components. ‘Sweets’ contain high sugar levels which encourage fermentation and raise the final alcohol levels. This group is low in tannins and acidity. ‘Sharps’ are high in acidity and add 'bite' to the cider. They tend to be low in sugar content and have little tannin. ‘Bittersweets’ are high in sugar but also contain raised levels of tannin which tastes bitter and is astringent. A certain amount of bitterness is expected in all but the sweetest ciders. ‘Bittersharps’ are high in both tannins and fruit acids. Although apples grown for consumption are suitable for cider making, many cider-makers prefer to use a mix of eating and cider apples. There are many hundreds of varieties of cultivars developed specifically for cidermaking.
Cider production methods begin once the fruit is gathered from the trees. The fruit is then "scratted" or ground down into what is called "pomace" or "pommage". Historically the scratting was done using pressing stones with circular troughs, or by a cider mill. Cider mills were traditionally driven by the hand, water-mill, or horse-power. Today, most mills are likely to be powered by electricity. The pulp is then transferred to the cider "press", where the pommage is pressed and formed by pressure into a kind of cake, which is called the "cheese".
Traditionally the method for squeezing the juice from the cheese involves placing clear, sweet straw or hair cloths between the layers of pomace. This will usually alternate with slatted ash-wood racks, until there is a pile of ten or twelve layers. It is important to minimise the time that the pomace is exposed to air in order to keep oxidation to a minimum. The cheese needs to be constructed evenly, or the whole pile slithers onto the floor.
This pile is then subjected to different degrees of pressure in succession, until all the 'must' or juice is squeezed from the pomage. This juice, after being strained in a coarse hair-sieve, is then put into either open vats or closed casks. The pressed pulp is given to farm animals as winter feed, composted or discarded, or used to make liqueurs.
Fermentation is best effected at a temperature of 40 to 60 °F. This is low for most types of fermentation, but works for cider as it leads to slower fermentation with less loss of delicate aromas. Shortly before the fermentation consumes all the sugar, the liquor is "racked" into new vats. This leaves dead yeast cells and other undesirable material at the bottom of the old vat. Care is taken to fill the vat completely and eliminate unwanted oxygen which can take away from the primary fruit aromas of the cider. The remaining available sugar is fermented and generates a small amount of carbon dioxide that helps to prevent air seeping in. This also creates a certain amount of sparkle, and sometimes extra sugar, such as white cane sugar, is added at this stage for this purpose and also to raise the alcohol level. Racking is sometimes repeated if the liquor remains too cloudy.
Let me hit you with some knowledge: A pear is a tree of the genuus Pyrus and the juicy fruit of that tree, edible in some species. The English word pear is probably from Common West Germanic pera, probably a loanword of Vulgar Latin pira, the plural of pirum, which is itself of unknown origin. The place name Perry can indicate the historical presence of pear trees. We will be looking specifically at French Cider (cidre in French.) French cidre is an alcoholic drink that is produced predominantly in Normandy and in Brittany. Higher quality cider is sold in Champagne-style bottles (cidre bouché), and while much of cidre is sold in corked bottles, some screw-top bottles exist. Until the mid-20th century, cidre was the second most-consumed drink in France (after wine) but an increase in the popularity of beer displaced cider's market share outside traditional cider-producing regions. In restaurants in Brittany, cider is sometimes served in traditional ceramic bowls (or wide cups) rather than glasses. The ‘kir normand’ is a cocktail aperitif made with cider and cassis, rather than white wine and cassis for the traditional kir.
Normandy is steeped in tradition. Normandy is home to some of the world’s most beloved culinary treasures based upon the two greatest raw materials here; apples and cream. The region is the home of ‘Camembert’ as well as some other local cheeses that are made from the abundance of milk and cream. Normandy is also Calvados country, the famous apple digestif. Now we move onto the cidre. Eric Bordelet’s cidres originate from the Pays d’Auge which is different from the rest of Norman cider in that it has its own appellation with tightly controlled laws for its production. There are limits on the varieties of apples used and the villages in which they can be grown. The laws are based on the AOC system that controls wine production, and although most wineries don’t allow cows to wander through the vines like they do through orchards, much of the rest is the same.
Our featured cidre producer was formerly the sommelier at Arpege, which is one of Paris’ most famous Michelin 3-star restaurants. Eric Bordelet was encouraged by his good friend Didier Dageneau to pursue his dream of making world-class cidre in his native Normandy. Of course if one is friends with Didier Dageneau, it is logical to presume that the path of Monsieur Dageneau’s biodynamic farming methods will be followed as well. By moving back to his family’s farm, Eric was blessed with some of the most exquisite raw material he could have ever wanted. There are some 100 varieties of apples on the farm and a small orchard of pear trees that was planted around the year 1700. The entire production is farmed without chemicals and the property was certified organic in 2005. These ciders are exquisite drinks, handcrafted and as authentic a beverage as you will ever find. WW of course ships these in refrigerated containers to maintain these cider’s delicacy and fresh characters.
As stated earlier, higher quality cider is sold in Champagne-style bottles (cidre bouché)……..all the cidres below are presented in these Champagne style bottles.
Sidre Doux
From young apple trees, this cider is fermented from December until April. Sidre doux is produced from up to 100 different varieties of apples. Fresh, appley aromas with hints of wood, almonds, and vanilla. Doux in French refers to rich character of sweetness. This cidre is indeed off dry and really easy to consume. Produced using Biodynamic methods. Eric Bordelet Sidre Doux, Retail $14.99 Warehouse $11.99
Sydre Argelette
19 different varieties of apples (40% bitter, 40% sweet, 20% high acid) make up this benchmark in apple cider from Normandy. “Argelette” is the old Norman word for a plot of land that was so stony that the apple trees could barely survive, producing tiny apples with wild “sauvage” aromas and flavors. Earthy and complex. Made from 19 varieties of apples, ‘Argelette’ is the old Norman word for a plot of land that was so stony that the apple trees could barely survive, producing tiny apples with “sauvage” aromas and flavors. Produced using Biodynamic methods. Eric Bordelet Sydre Argelette, Retail $18.99 Warehouse $15.99
Poire authentique
20 different varieties of pears are harvested through mid-December for this stunner. Poire authentique displays a very high acidity and clean mouth cut. On the palate one finds flavors of pear, honey, and even fresh cut apples. This cidre is medium sweet with a clean, crisp finish. Produced using Biodynamic methods. Eric Bordelet Poire Authentique, Retail $15.99 Warehouse $12.99
Poire Granit
Poire Granit is produced from tiny pears grown on 300 year old pear trees that stretch some 20 meters high. These trees have never seen a drop of agro-chemicals. Poire granit is complex and structured like a fine champagne, yet exhibits a fine delicacy of pristine fruit flavors. A sumptuous revelation of purity and character, the palate reveals delicate, dry pear flavors lifted by tiny and airy bubbles that finish with a dancing honeyed undertone. Produced using Biodynamic methods.
Eric Bordelet Poire Granit, Retail$24.99 Warehouse $19.99
Chilled sparkling cider on a warm summer day………..now that’s chillin!
