Review of Hérout’s ‘Coup de Foudre Cidre Biologique’, a French Calvados cask fermented cidre.  It is my first time trying this, but I have had their Cotentin Extra-Brut, Cotentin Brut, and Pommeau.

Cider:  Coup de Foudre Cidre Biologique
Cidery:  Hérout
Importer:  Beauchamp Imports, French Cider Inc.
Cidery Location: Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy, France
ABV:  7.5%
How Supplied:  375ml corked bottles
Style:  Organic craft French cidre from cider apples, Calvados cask fermented

  

Availability:  In Washington, through Beauchamp Imports, plus online sales though their French Cider Inc. website (but this one isn’t specifically listed – I’m guessing it is very new).  Also see Hérout’s Cotentin Brut, Cotentin Extra-Brut, Pommeau, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, and gift pack.

Cider Description (translated):  The vintage Thunderbolt is the latest Cider House Herut. 
100% pure juice, it naturally fermented in Calvados casks. The exchange with the Calvados cask brings to this cider clog an aromatic complexity broad and slightly reinforced in alcohol.  The vintage Coup de Foudre is rather raw and serves as an aperitif, but will also delight your “Happy Hours”!

Always in search of original and elaborated flavors, the corked Normandy organic ciders of the Hérout House combine authenticity and novelty.  Thus the Coup de Foudre vintage respects the tradition of natural fermentation and bottled foam; but it brings a novelty by letting fermentation take place in oak barrels that have contained Calvados.  Non-gasified and unpasteurized, the cask in Calvados boosts the alcohol content giving body to the cider, while exalting raw and authentic flavors.

Cidery Description:  Since the 1940s, Hérout cidre has been produced by the Hérout family on the Cotentin Peninsula on the Northwest coast of Normandy France, in Auvers, where apples thrive in its lush and oceanic climate.  They are the newest cidre AOC in France, since May 2016.  The cidermaker Marie-Agnes Herout was just awarded the highest civilian honor in France for her 16 years of work getting the AOC recognized – Le Croix de Chevalier, Legion d’Honneur (Knights Cross for the Legion of Honneur).

See here for more information on the cidery.

Price:  $16
Where Bought:  Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  browsing

First Impression:  Medium orange hue.  Low carbonation.  Smells mild, of tart apple, cork, and funk.

Tasting Notes:  On the sweeter side of semi-dry.  Light bodied.  Moderate tartness and acidity.  Low tannins, bitterness, and funk.  No sourness.  Notes of bittersweet cider apple, oak, cork/earth, orange, leather, and alcohol.  Long tannic finish.  Moderate apple flavor and flavor intensity.  Low to moderate sessionability.  High complexity.

My Opinion:  I enjoyed this because of its uniqueness.  You don’t see a Calvados (French apple brandy) cask fermented cider very often.  Most French ciders are rather similar to each other (apple and yeast forward, mid level sweetness, carbonated, etc), but this was quite different (tart, earthy, more complex, higher ABV, less carbonated).  It was nice to try, but not really something I’d drink regularly, especially with the price point.  My husband was an even bigger fan.

Most Similar to:  French cidre with a hint of Pommeau and more earthiness & complexity

Closing Notes:  I liked this better then Herout’s Cotentin Extra-Brut and Cotentin Brut, but so far my favorite from them is the Pommeau, by far.  Also, the Pommeau is an excellent value.

Have you tried French cidre?  What did you think?