Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouché Brut de Normandie 2014

Domaine Dupont is one of the leading names in French Calvados and cidre. Calvados is the famed northern French apple brandy. Producers in Normandy and Brittany tend to fall in two camps: brandy producers who view cidre as an incomplete step on the way to the final product or cidre producers whose main purpose is cidre as the final product. Dupont falls into former category. Now this is certainly no knock on their cider products, Domaine Dupont is one of France’s finest makers of cider. They just happen to view their primary focus as Calvados production.

Their main cidre and flagship non-Calvados product is their Cidre Bouché Brut de Normadie. The apples for this blend are selected based on maturity and concentration of flavor and are hand-picked to create the most interesting and flavorful product possible. Cidre Bouché Brut means it’s a dry cider “under cork.” When you’re looking at a menu and see “Bouché,” it means it’s a bottled product.

Appearance: Dark Gold

Aroma: Apple, earthy, stone fruit, floral notes, light funky must.

Taste: Medium Tannins, Medium+ Acidity, Medium Astringency.

Overall Impression: Dupont’s Cidre Bouché Brut is supremely balanced with bold flavors that are very well-integrated. It’s one of the apple ciders that I go back to most frequently because it has a nice punch of funky apple flavors coupled with an earthy, funky complexity that makes this a highly enjoyable cidre that can both be contemplated or simply enjoyed in good company. If you’re looking to see what French Cidre is about, you can’t go wrong with this one. It sets the standard for me.

CO2 Levels: Medium Sparkle
Geography: Pays d’Auge (Non-AOC designate), Normandie
Apples: Include – Saint Martin, Binet, Noel de champs, Mettais, Frequin and Rouge Duret. A mix of 80% Bittersweets & 20% Sharps.

Availability: Nationally. Imported by  B. United International.

5.5% ABV

You can read more of my writings about Domaine Dupont here.