Sidre "Tendre" Doux, Bordelet - NV

After returning to Normandy to take over his family’s estate and orchards, Eric Bordelet was persuaded by vignernon Didier Dageneau to produce artisanal ciders from apples and pears. With years of sommelier work under his belt, Bordelet’s approach to cider (or sidre as he typically refers to them on his bottles) is wine-like in nature. Using only pure heirloom varieties, all balanced between different flavor profiles, Bordelet hand picks all his fruit and dehydrates them before pressing. He employs long fermentations to build up complexity and richness, before bottling, mid-ferment with various amounts of residual sugar left depending on the cuvée. His Sidre Tendre is off-dry with notes of autumn leaves, star anise, and crunchy apples, frothy texture and brilliant acid that sings in the glass. A bottle so nice, you must buy twice.