Cotentin cider

Cidre Cotentin

What it is

The appellation is built on bitterness: bitter and bittersweet apples such as Taureau, Petit amer and Marin Onfroy must cover at least 70% of the orchard, and main varieties make up at least 60% of every cuvée. The first fermentation runs on the fruit's own yeasts, and the sparkle comes only from at least eight weeks of fermentation in the bottle; carbonation and pasteurisation are banned. At 18 g of sugar per litre or less it must be labelled extra-brut.

In the kitchen

The extra-brut, with 18 g of sugar per litre at most, is the one for the pan: it reduces without turning syrupy, so deglaze pork chops or scallops with it and finish with cream. Stand the bottle upright in the fridge for a day so the yeast deposit settles, and pour gently.

Goes with

Oyster Scallop Mussel Pork Andouille Camembert Salted butter Apple

Same species

Apple Calvados Cornouaille cider Perche cider Pays d'Auge cider Mostarda di Mantova

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