Review of Eric Bordelet’s Nouvelle Vague Sidre, in a unique format, a 5 liter keg.  I previously tried this cider on tap (see here), plus I’ve had his Poire Authentique, Sidre Tendre, and Sidre Brut Tendre.

Cider:  Nouvelle Vague Sidre
Cidery:  Eric Bordelet
Cidery Location:  Normandy, France
ABV:  5.0%
How Supplied:  5L mini (party) keg
Style:  French sparkling cider from cider apples

Availability:  likely limited

Cider Description:  Eric Bordelet’s newest creation is going to be a big hit. This fresh, off-dry (but closer to dry) apple cider from his younger trees is fermented in a fresher style than his bottled ciders. Less skin maceration, makes for a more refreshing cider that will be even more versatile. Presented in 5L, re-closeable aluminum “kegs,” just put this in your fridge and the cider will stay fresh and vibrant for up to two weeks after opening. We bet it doesn’t last that long!

Cidery Description:  The Bordelet family’s biodynamic orchards are in southern Normandy. The orchards as well as the cider making is undertaken by former Paris sommelier Eric Bordelet. All tolled, the orchard is 37 acres, seven and a half of which bear apple and pear trees 50 years old. The estate holds 20 varieties of apples and 15 varieties of pear. This is cider you are going to want to make a special effort to seek out.

See here and here for more information.

Price:  ~$90
Where Bought:  Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank:  at my in-laws house over xmas break
How Found:  browsing

First Impression:  Medium amber hue.  Nearly still (very low carbonation).  Smells super funky.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-dry.  Light bodied.  Low tartness, acidity, bitterness, and tannins.  Very high funk.  Hints of sourness.  Notes of bittersweet cider apple juice and pomace, orange, and leather.  Moderate length finish.  Moderate apple flavor, complexity, and flavor intensity.  High sessionability.

My Opinion:  Although I enjoyed the cider and had no problem finishing it, I was disappointed.  It wasn’t nearly as sparkling as I expected (vs. all other French ciders I’ve had, plus photos and videos of this specific kegged cider), and it was super funky.  Very different from when I tried it previously.  For the price, based on what I saw online, and my previous trial, I had high expectations.  I had planned to share it with others for Christmas dinner, but no one liked it as it was so funky.  Thankfully I had a week to finish it myself.  However, I understand that due to the style of cider (wild yeast fermentation), there will be variations batch to batch.  Also, maybe there was some user error with the keg as far as getting it to be sparkling (although we followed the instructions).

Most Similar to:  With it being nearly flat and super funky, this actually reminded me more of English than French cider.

Closing Notes:  I think I’ll stick to bottled Bordelet ciders in the future, as those have all been superb.

Have you tried French cidre?  What did you think?