Clos des Citots, Heurteauville
When we tried this guys’ Poiré the first time we couldn’t get it out of our heads, so pure, so fresh, so mineral and also, light. A perfect drink during all day. We started to try to get hold of him, which only took 3 months (and it was calls made daily and a slightly creepy amount of e-mails). Well, one afternoon we got contact, and since autumn 2016 we have the lovely stuff from him is in Sweden.
Gérard Lenormand has been growing organic pears and apples together with his wife Martine since 1998 on this 13 ha farm in the small village of Heurteauville. He was the odd one out in his family which didn’t want to continue with the tradition of dairy farming.
The orchards were planted in 1992 by the former owner. They are just next to the river Seine, which gives a humid climate and there is a high proportion of limestone in the soils. This climate is very suitable to grow fruits of various sorts, and you find a lot of growers here, but only a few that makes cider.
They produce various ciders, both dry, half dry, sweet and very sweet. And also has a small production of Eau de Vie de Cidre, Pommeau de Normandie, apple juice and vinegar.
Poiré
Soil: Silty loam and limestone
Fruit: Pears, De Cloche, Champagne, Plant de Blanc
Appellation: Haute-Normandie
Age of Trees: planted 1992
Yields: 50-80 hl/l
Production: Direct press after the crushing. Fermentation on tanks until there is a sufficient amount of sugar left to create a balance between acidity, fruit, sweetness and bitterness. After a light filtration they bottle it with a mobile bottling line which adds carbon dioxide to the bottles. No sulphur needed. 40 grams of sugar left.
Cidre Rosé
Soil: Silty loam and limestone
Fruit: 4 different varieties of apples, sweet, bitter, acidic, that forms a perfect balance. Here 2 of the apples got red pulp, therefore the natural, rosé color.
Appellation: Haute-Normandie
Age of Trees: planted 1992
Yields: 50-80 hl/h
Production: Direct press after the crushing. Fermentation on tanks until there is a sufficient amount of sugar left to create a balance between acidity, fruit, sweetness and bitterness. After a light filtration they bottle it with a mobile bottling line which adds carbon dioxide to the bottles. No sulphur needed. 38 grams of sugar left.
Cidre Brut
Soil: Silty loam and limestone
Fruit: 13 different varieties of apples, sweet, bitter, acidic, that forms a perfect balance
Appellation: Haute-Normandie
Age of Trees: planted 1992
Yields: 50-80 hl/h
Production: Direct press after the crushing. Fermentation on tanks until there is a sufficient amount of sugar left to create a balance between acidity, fruit, sweetness and bitterness. After a light filtration they bottle it with a mobile bottling line which adds carbon dioxide to the bottles. No sulphur needed. 30 grams of sugar left.
Cidre de Glace
Soil: Silty loam and limestone
Fruit: 13 different varieties of apples, sweet, bitter, acidic, that forms a perfect balance
Appellation: Haute-Normandie
Age of Trees: planted 1992
Yields: 50-80 hl/h
Production: Direct press after the crushing and then they freeze the must to concentrate the sugar. They take out the concentrated must that has a lower freeze point than water and lets it ferment slow over the winter on a fiberglass tank. After a light filtration they bottle it with 180 grams of sugar left that’s balanced with fresh acidity.
Eau de Vie de Cidre
Soil: Silty loam and limestone
Fruit: 13 different varieties of apples, sweet, bitter, acidic, that forms a perfect balance
Age of Trees: planted 1992
Yields: 50-80 hl/h
Production: Apple cider stilled in a column still and then aged 8 years in old barrels before bottling
Jus de Pommes Petillant
Soil: Silty loam and limestone
Fruit: 13 different varieties of apples, sweet, bitter, acidic, that forms a perfect balance
Appellation: Haute-Normandie
Age of Trees: planted 1992
Yields: 50-80 hl/h
Production: Direct press after the crushing and the must is directly pasteurized to avoid fermentation. After a light filtration they bottle it with a mobile bottling line which adds carbon dioxide to the must. No sulphur needed.