The Times - Sommeliers swallow their pride as French cider comes of age
ABS Wine Agencies, Tue 23 May 2023
France’s finest sommeliers recently travelled to the Cotentin region of Normandy to try local ciders, in a sign of changing perceptions of the drink
Cider has long been dismissed in France as a downmarket drink to be knocked back without a second thought.
Now cider lovers are being told to start ageing their finest bottles, just as they would a Bordeaux or Burgundy wine. France’s first vintage ciders are being dispatched to customers, in a move that connoisseurs hope will revolutionise its image.
The ciders are made with apples picked in 2020, and were aged for two and half years in the cellars of producers in the Cotentin area of Normandy. Last year’s vintage will be delivered in the spring of 2025, with prices ranging from €9.50 to €13.50 a bottle.