There’s not much wine grown in Normandy, the starkly beautiful region along the English Channel in northern France. But along with scallops, oysters, butter, and some magnificent cheeses, Normandy is renowned for its cider. Apples and pears have been grown, pressed and fermented here for more than a thousand years.
Cyprien Lireux is a thirtysomething artisan cidermaker who returned home after business school to work his ancestral land. Having learned the art of cidermaking from his father and grandfather, he purchased several small abandoned orchards nearby and set up shop as a cidrerie. His delicious ciders have just arrived, and they’re the perfect companions to fall.
Norman ciders and American craft ciders differ in several important ways, starting with the apples. Thousands of ancient apple varieties grow across France – most are inedible raw, but perfect for hard cider. Norman ciders are less about sweetness and more about tension and texture: crisp, very dry, and relatively low in alcohol.
Lireux’s house cider is “Soixante.Quarante,” named for the 60/40 proportion of sharp vs. bitter apples. It’s dry, pleasantly herbal and savory in the nose, with great tension in the mouth. There’s a delicate salinity alongside notes of lemon peel and quince with a hint of bitterness. A faint tannin underlies the mouthfeel, and at 6.5% abv it’s lively and easy to enjoy. Serve this with grilled fish, mussels, or roasted chicken.
Lireux Cidre “Soixante.Quarante”
bottle price: $25
His other cuvée is called “Premises” and is a perry – made from seven different heritage varieties of pear, and even drier than the Soixante.Quarante cider. It’s brighter and prettier, with notes of lime, grapefruit, dried flowers, and a pleasant minerality. It’s more wine-like than the cider, and the match of zesty fruit and brinyness calls to mind a Muscadet. At 4.5% it’s light and refreshing. Pair with sushi, tuna tartare, steamer clams, or fresh goat cheese.
Lireux Poiré “Prémices”
bottle price: $25
