Cider
At our restaurant, "Le Mont-St-Michel", we're looking for the various nuances of French cider (cidre) and its unexplored ability to match food. A conviction illustrated by our 14 ciders strong drink menu.
A little bit of history
The history of "Sydre" as it was called at the time, started in southwest France, le Pays Basque, in the 6th century. In the mid 19th century the decline of wine production because of the phylloxera, an insect that caused massive damage to French vines, helped cider become the main alcoholic drink in France. Cider was then exported to the USA, and to the imperial courts of Japan and Russia. But the damage done to the apple tree fields during WWII and the state sponsored pulling out campaigns in the 60's drastically reduced cider production in France.
Cider is closer to wine than we think
The "terroir"
Nowadays customers are charmed again by the qualities of ciders and the work of the best cidriculteurs (cider makers) seduces wine lovers…without them feeling disoriented: Like wine, cider is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of fruit. Moreover each area, in addition to its own apple varieties, differs from others by its soil and its climate.
The making
4 kinds of apples are used in ciders: sour ones to bring freshness, bitter or bittersweet ones for the body and the bitterness, and sweet ones for the alcoholic structure. Apple harvesting usually lasts from September to the end of December according to each apple variety maturity time. Fruits are squeezed to obtain a "pur jus" (pure juice) cider. The must then starts to ferment naturally (with no added substance) in cask or tank. It has to be as slow as possible not to break aromas and protect the structure of the cider. It lasts between 2 and 3 months. Some of this process continues in the bottle with release of carbonic gas that causes bubbles to appear. The earlier the bottling, the bigger the amount of sugar not transformed into alcohol (sweet cider), the latter the lower the amount of sugar in the bottle, producing a dry cider. The level of alcohol in ciders goes from 2° (sweet cider) to 8° (dry cider).
The "appellations d'origine"
Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC), which translates as "controlled term of origin" is the French certification granted to certain French geographical areas for certain agricultural products. There is one AOC for Normandy cider: The Pays d'Auge. It is generally a smooth and sweet cider. It is a nice balance between sugar et bitterness, with a little bit of acidity. In Brittany the "Royal Guillevic" is the only single variety cider. Light and sweet, colorless with green shades, it tastes like any rare beverage.
The aging
Like wine, cider matures well in bottle. Aromas of woods, spices, dry fruits replace youthful aromas of flowers and fruits.
How to serve cider
Nice ciders should be served in tasting glasses at the ideal temperature of 10°C.
Two exceptional ciders
Cidre Argelette 2007
Apple trees on a schist soil. This cider finds its balance between its nice tannic structure and the sweetness of its juice. Not too much bubbly. Aromas of cooked apples, clove, rosemary and tobacco. We recommend to taste it with our galette Doué.
Cidre Réserve Dupont
Apple trees on a clay soil. Fermentation in stainless tanks followed by 6 months in calvados casks. Aromas of apple and pineapple. It is a full body cider. We recommend to drink it with a cheese from Normandy or with our crepe Jeanne.