Domaine Leduc-Piedimonte Cidre de Glace - Réserve Privée

Brewed by Domaine Leduc-Piedimonte
Style: Ice Cider
Rougemont, Canada

In short: A caramelized and fruity ice-cider that surprisingly offers very little apple flavour.
How: From bottle 375ml. Many samples at Mondial des Cidres 2009.
The look: Dark golden body
In long: Flavour of honey, caramel and even maple along with a fruity flavours of litchi, kiwis, orange peel. A sensation of a caramelized fruity dessert. Of all the ice-ciders I had at the Mondial des Cidres 2009 festival this is probably the one that had the least apple flavour of them all. This one of the ice-ciders made using apples that are “baked” by freezing while in the trees (such as Frimas or Pinnacle Signature) and they are the most expensive but also usually the best and most complex ones. But this one is probably my least favourite of this select club. Still a very nice one but for that price there are better options. Still, its unique “no-apple” character makes it unique so it may very well be someone else’s favourite. But I’m not a someone else, I’m a nobody.

Verre de dégustation, provenant d’une bouteille claire de 375 ml, au Mondial des Cidres de Glace du Québec 2009 (Rougemont, QC). Arôme: Odeur de pommes avec une pointe d’érable et d’alcool. Apparence: La couleur est dorée. Saveur: Goût de pommes avec une pointe d’érable et de boisé. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture huileuse. Faible effervescence en bouche. Légère présence d’alcool en arrière goût. (Rating #2223)

From a 2004 bottle. Tons of jam, apricot, marmalade, processed sugars of all sorts. Very unique. Unlike any other ice cider I’ve had, though Frimas is close. But better. This one is too overwhelmed with passionfruit and jam and fig and has little apple character left. The body is as thick as maple syrup. Though very complex, I’m left wanting more out of this.

[1397-20080530] Bottle. Oaken wood aroma has lots of sweet apples. Clear, orange yellow body with no head. Sweet apple barrel flavour. Medium body is sweet. Good.
(Vintage 2004; 0T @ Mondial; Montreal, QC)

2008-05-30. Crisp golden yellow body (3+). Lightly musty aroma, notes of wood, apples. Sweet up front, apples, very tart-dry for a brief moment, then sweet again in the finish. (7+) Less lovely snorted up my nose... stupid tiny sample cups! Bottle, 2004 Vintage, Mondial, Montreal, courtesy of Tuqueboy

Sampled at Mondial 2007. It was the 2004 vintage. Gorgeous, deep golden colour. Aromas of apple, pineapple and vanilla. Flavour follows through on those aromas. It’s sweet and has a slightly syrupy consistency, but has enough acidity to balance it out nicely. Reminds me of a good Sauternes, and went spectacularly well with the foie gras en torchon. Found it more complex than the frimas (or any of the other ice ciders i tried at mondial).

Échantillon au salon des Métiers d’Arts 06. Jaune mi-foncé. Arome de pomme un peu sucré. Bon goût de tartelette aux pommes, soupson d’érable à la fin.

Subdued whiskey and oak character suffuse the sweet and syrupy tropical fruit and apple aroma along with a decent jolt of alcohol. Clear, deep, golden yellow coloured body with nice legs on the sides of the glass. Very strong, syrupy, sweet but never cloying fruity flavour is almost caramelised. Alcohol provides a counterpoint in the finish along with an earthy, funky note that recalls the frozen trees. Medium body with a rich texture and strong alcohol warming. An excellent ice cider that would certainly be more welcome on a cold Fall or Winter afternoon rather than this muggy and drizzly Summer day, but great all the same. Sampled at Mondial 2006.