French Cider 101: What to know about Ciders from France

Ciders from France are well known around the world and highly coveted by many. Normandy and Brittany are the two prominent regions in France with long traditions of making cider (cidre) and perry (poiré), dating back centuries. The French Basque Country (Pays Basque) on the southwest border of Spain is another significant cider making region, with styles of cider that are much different than those in Normandy and Brittany.

Most french ciders from the regions of Normandy and Brittany feature bittersweet apple varieties, which are lower in acid and higher in tannins. Long, cool fermentation practices traditionally used result in pronounced aromatics that are a signature of many French cider brands. French ciders range from dry to sweet, but their prominent use of bittersweet apples leads many to experience the rich apple character and pronounced fruitiness of French ciders as slightly sweet, even when brut or bone dry. It's also common for these ciders to be lower in alcohol (under 5% ABV).

Another key feature of many traditional French ciders from Normandy and Brittany is the practice of keeving. Put simply, keeving is the process of removing nutrients from the juice to slow down fermentation. Added or naturally occurring pectin enzymes bind to nutrients in the juice, floating to the top to form a chapeau brun (brown hat) on the surface. The clear juice underneath is then racked off and fermented slowly. The result is typically a cider with natural residual sweetness, as the lack of nutrients causes fermentation to arrest before it can ferment to dry. Keeving also tends to develop softer tannic structure in the cider, as well as refined carbonation. The interplay of sweetness, tannins, apple driven complexities, and a natural sparkle in most French ciders make them standout as unique relative to most other ciders of the world. 

Poire (perry) also has a long history of being made in France, with more poire made than cidre in the Domfrontais region in southern Normandy. Poire is typically light and sparkling, and made from true perry pear varieties (pear varieties that are grown for pressing into juice for perry or brandy, often referred to as "spitters" as they are not pleasant for eating). Domfrontais poire is protected by an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC), which requires makers to follow strict guidelines in their harvesting of the pears and production of the poire, as well as the use of at least 40% Plant de Blanc pears. For a great read on Domfront poire, we recommend this article by Adam Wells (author of Perry: A Drinker's Guide) on Cider Review.

Pommeau is an apéritif made by blending unfermented apple juice with apple brandy (Calvados or Lambig in France). The mixture is then aged in oak barrels, typically for at least 2 years (and often longer). The high percentage of alcohol from the apple brandy prevents the fresh juice from fermenting, and thus the beverage retains a considerable level of sweetness. The prolonged aging results in a rich melding of complex flavors from the cider juice blend, warmth from the brandy, and complexities from the barrel. Check out our blog post, What is Pommeau?, dedicated to this exquisite beverage.  

Thirsty? We're excited to feature some of the best French cider and French perry available in America. You can browse our selection here: French cidres and poires. Fans of French ciders can also sign up for our French Cider Club to receive a quarterly box filled with 6 or 12 bottles of French cider and perry products, including access to limited products. 

If you want to really nerd out and experience French cidre and poire, we highly recommend joining a Cider Chat Totally Cider Tour to France. Storie had the opportunity to go on Ria's tour back in 2018 and had an incredible experience. 

French Cider Terminology to Know:

• Calvados = apple brandy, specifically from the Normandy region in France. Produced by distilling French cider. 
• Cidre = Cider in French (pronounced SEE-dray). It is common to see Cidre de Normandie or Cidre de Bretagne on labels to designate the cider is from the Normandy or Brittany region, and meets standards for production methods and product quality that align with the traditions. 
  • Cidre Brut = Dry Cider, usually 5% ABV and higher. Brut ciders from France can range from bone-dry to semi-dry, with a rich quality to them from the bittersweet and bittersharp apple varieties that lend some perceived sweetness. 
  • Cidre Demi Sec = "Half Dry", as in Semi-Dry or Semi-Sweet cider, usually between 3-5% ABV. The considerable level of sweetness is usually balanced by tannic qualities of the cider, courtesy of the bittersharp and bittersweet apple varieties commonly used. 
  • Cidre Doux = Sweet Cider, usually lower than 3% ABV. 
  • Cidre Fermier = Farmhouse Cider.
  • Cidre Bouche = Traditional, naturally sparkling cider.
  • Cidre Bio = Oragnic cider. 
  • Cidre Pays d'Auge = Certification given to cider made in the Pays d'Auge region of Normandy under the specifications of the protected DO (Designation of Origin) or AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée).
• Cuvée = Blend, typically indicating a blend done post fermentation.
• Fruité = translates to Fruity, and you may find this on labels or online descriptions of French cider. These are not fruit-flavored ciders, rather they are usually demi-sec / half-sweet ciders and the considerable residual sweetness promotes the fresh, fruity flavors of the apples/juice used to make the cider. 
• Lambig = apple brandy, specifically from the Brittany region in France. 
• Poire = Perry in French (pronounce Poor-AY, or Pwuh-REY, depending on which American cider enthusiast you ask. Would someone from France please email us and confirm? We'll repay you for setting the record straight for us with great cider discounts). Made 100% from pears - more specifically perry pear varieties grown specifically for perry production. Incredible stuff that deserves it's own blog entry, more on this topic coming soon. Explore our collection of Perry here. 
• Pommeau = a fortified cider traditionally made in France by blending fresh apple juice with apple brandy (Calvados in Normandy, Lambig in Brittany). The blend is barrel aged, often for 3+ years. The result is a sweet yet balanced marriage of apple richness, barrel character, and warming calvados/lambig notes. Exquisite stuff. Try some from our collection of Pommeau de Normandie and Pommeau de Bretagne. 
• Pur Jus = pure juice, meaning the cider is made 100% from apple juice. Common to find this listed on cider labels. Part of the standards established by the AOPs for French Cider production require that the cider be made only from pure apple juice (not watered down or from concentrate).