Sidre Brut Tendre – Eric Bordelet 2004
Though this blogs focus is beer I certainly enjoy a variety of fermented beverages from a delicious single malt Scotch to a well crafted cider such as we have here. Yesterday The Four Firkins hosted a Crispin Cider tasting and while there I couldn’t help but go home with a good deal of cider including this bottle I have here in front of me that was suggested by Sean. From Googling a bit I have had a hard time finding much information on this brew other than it is brewed by a well known French wine maker, is certified organic and is brewed with a wild wine yeast so lets get straight to the tasting. Color is a typical translucent golden hue that you would expect from a cider. About a millimeter of white head was formed on my first pour but faded very quickly. On the second pour I was able to produce a solid finger and change that lasted for much longer but still only a few minutes before settling to the surface of the cider and leaving a nice white circle around the glass. Aroma smells mostly of wine alcohol which makes sense and a little bit of apples. From first impression the flavors in this brew are simply amazing. I get flavors of what I figure is wine yeast first followed by a gentle fermented note that reminds me of olives but is not offensive (particularly as I don’t care for olives) and is likely present due to aging. Then comes in a wonderfully sweet and smooth apple flavor that finishes dryer with some nice carbonation in the finish. The mouthfeel of this brew is smooth and creamy it is really quite amazing. Body is very light to compliment the 4% ABV and make this an incredibly drinkable beverage, I wish I had more. This is simply an amazing beverage that I am glad to have had to opportunity to sample. If it were more available I would happily consume it again to see what the other varieties and years yield. If you have ever enjoyed a cider or are partial to white wine and want to try something new try to find one of these brews. Bottle # 153/05. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
August 3rd, 2009 at 3:35 pm
[…] easy to drink, and overall tasty cider I have had the opportunity to consume. Not to demean the Eric Bordelet 2004 I just consumed because that stuff was great, but in a different category as far as I am concerned. If you have […]
August 5th, 2009 at 5:35 am
A small nitpick – cider isn’t “brewed” – no heat is involved. It is fermented.
Nice review. Did you get any hint of sulphur in the nose? This sometimes occurs due to the french process of keeving which removes the nutrients required for the yeasts; unfortunately the yeasts can then go on to break down some of the juice, releasing the sulphur compounds.
August 6th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Thanks for the clarification I guess I’m too used to using the improper verb 🙂 I wouldn’t quite say I noticed any sulfur but upon thinking about it there was a similar note present but much more clean and flat, not as chemical as I would typically associate with sulfur. Interesting thing to be aware of though as I am certainly no cider guru and always enjoy learning about various fermented beverages. Nice little site by the way. Cheers!