Daufresne | Cider Says

Review of Cidrerie Daufresne Brut, a French cider. It is my first time trying this, but I have had their Poire (perry).

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by Winesellers, Ltd. Although I will take care to treat it the same as any other review, there is always the potential for bias as I received it for free. The only consideration I knowingly made was pushing this up in my cider review cue. I love free stuff, especially cider! Want your cider or cider-related product reviewed here? Contact me.<<

Cider: Brut
Cidery: Cidrerie Daufresne
Cidery Location: Normandy, France
ABV: 5.0%
How Supplied: 750ml corked & caged bottles
Style: Norman French cider

Availability: Semi wide release in the U.S. through Winesellers, Ltd. Their cider portfolio also includes Manoir de Grandouet, Domaine de la Minotiere, & Le Brun from France, Dunkertons from England, and Sidra Asturiana Mayador from Spain.

Cider Description: This cider has a beautiful robe with green reflections and a very fine effervescence. The finesse and freshness of the nose are expressed by aromas of ripe apples with notes of spices and sweetness. On the palate, the perfect balance of residual sugar and acidity from the aging on lees creates an explosion of freshness.

Cidery Description: Located in the heart of the Pays d’Auge, at the gates of Lisieux, we can discover the area of 5 D, with its cider house at the foot of the orchards hills, formerly called the Pré des Vignes, in reference to the vines formerly exploited on this parcel. It is this beautiful south-facing exhibition that prompted Philippe Daufresne to plant his orchard in the 60s, instead of the old vines, for the production of his cider and calvados. For 4 years, retirement requires, the domain was taken over by Ghislaine Davy, who is resolutely committed to a quality and elegance approach. To develop the different cider products, 150 tons of apples are brewed each year on the estate.

The apples come from the orchards of the cider house but also from the different orchards around, which multiplies all the varieties used: Germaine, Blangy cemetery, red binet, bisquet, St Martin, Christmas fields, President descourt, windmill, mettais, rambault, and many others… In order to give each product a balanced aromatic bouquet, the varieties are carefully selected to find the right balance between the freshness of tart apples, the delicacy of sweet apples, and the corpus of bitter apples. The Daufrresne cider is a must at the tables of the Côte Fleurie. Well known to the Parisian resort clientele, he is regularly awarded at the Paris General Competition, with this latest gold medal at the Paris 2017 general competition.

Price: n/a (retails for $12)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: the importer contacted me

First Impression: Low to moderate carbonation with some foam. Light to moderate amber hue. Smells very mild, almost of nothing.

Tasting Notes: On the drier side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Low tannins. Hints of bitterness and funk. No sourness. Notes of bittersweet apple pomace, orange, and caramel. Long finish. Moderate to high apple flavor and sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity and complexity.

My Opinion: I liked it. However, compared to some of the other French ciders I have tried recently, it was less flavorful (possibly as it was a bit drier). I’d recommend this for folks who are more sensitive to funk (as it barely had any, which was unexpected for a Normandy cider) and/or who like a drier cider.

Closing Notes: Of the five French ciders I tried from Winesellers, Ltd.’s lineup, Domaine de la Minotiere Cidre Fermier Bio Doux and Manoir de Grandouet Cidre Fermier Brut were my favorites. Of the two perries, Le Brun Poire was my favorite (over Cidrerie Daufresne Poire).

Have you tried French cidre? What did you think?

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