Etienne Dupont Cidre Cuvee Colette

Brewed by Domaine Familial Louis Dupont
Style: Cider
Victot-Pontfol, France

Boboski hooks it up again. Ciders are something I have truly come to adore and actively seek out, and this one is up there as one of my all time favorites. The cider pours a perfectly crystalline color, with a fine bead of bubbles wafting upwards vigorously. The aroma is beguiling, complex and almost otherworldly. The fusion of Earth and orchard are evident. Hints of wood, vanilla, acidic apples, floral notes, hints of citrus zests and a touch of alcohol to balance everything nicely. The flavor is an epiphany, With a dry apple note to start everything off in the right direction, with the wood balancing the mid-notes, the close is a delicate and graceful acidity, pulling everything together. Absolute a stunning creation and worthy of further praise.

Bottle from Beerlando and another from a forgotten store in NJ - Golden color with a nice amount of bubbly effervescence. Aroma dominated by thick, tart/sweet apples. some wood and a bit of naturey funk. Flavor has a wonderful mix of tart/sour/sweet/crisp/juicy/fresh apples with some wood and sugar. Wonderful - great mouthfeel and a wonderful swee/tart finish. Absolutely great how a wonderful apple varietal mix comes together and produces a knockout - much like those fine Bordeaux wine blends. Absolutely a treat - I must buy more of this genius cider.

750ml bottle, 2004 vintage. Thanks to Immy at Richmond Summer Gathering @ Williamsburg. Pours hazy golden in color with white head. Aroma sweet and apples. Taste of apples, yeasty and champagne with dry finish.

2004, released in ’07, consumed fresh. Wow, wow, wow! I have enjoyed Louis Dupont’s creations for years, but this is an achievement I was not prepared to encounter. Completely crystalline, sparkling pour with a nearly negligible amount of visible, microscopic bubbles in near stasis that gradually glide to the top and keep a ring of white foam sustained at the edge of the glass. Were this poured into a proper flute, as evidenced in successive pours into other glasses, this would have generated and sustained a lovely foamy topper. The body is an extremely beautiful light gold; in fact, very rarely is this color a shade so beautiful or worthy of such verbose praise. Must escapes from the vessel first, followed quickly by easily separable multiple apple varieties, very clean and lively. Residual sugars are sparse but when encountered become dazzling and boisterous. Oak and vanilla are mild and candied/tar, yeast is nearly completely transparent. Alcohol is only very mildly detectable and is not bothersome. This has an absolutely fantastic nose! Clean and crisp but inundated and blanketed with cellaring effects that lay out like a panoramic photograph with tangibly explained intricacies. Short version: I feel the aroma. Complexity is midrange but several doses offer multiple alluring apple scents and easygoing earthy collaboration. The flavor is just as focused but remains so drinkable it’s nearly absurd. Apple has a constant of oak riding its tailwinds but never interfering with the fruit itself, or its intent of cleansing and refreshing the palate. Acidity is light to medium and only serves to sway astringency away from the most sensistive parts of the tongue. Sweetness swirls about and fades into a delicate, earthy and clean finish. The finale is one of awe-inspiring cleanness, huge but silky soft, with only a whisper of tartness and full diminishment of sugars leaving only light dryness and then oak and yeast, and then...nothing. Amazing. The mouthfeel is soft and light bodied that brushes with fuller moments. This is like a pure element(apple) being confronted with another angry dissident(earthy, cellar influence). Purity crushes the intruder with one swift blow. Wow, wow, wow!

2004 750ml bottle from tytoanderso and I got another from pepsican; don’t remember which is which?; Nose of tartness, apples, and a lightly funky note; translucent yellow with a small yellowish head; flavor is fairly much on the tart side, with the aplle coming through strong and a background sweetness; finish is light sour funkiness.

From Joebrew’s farewell Cellars tasting. Gold color with a thin head. Aroma of tart apples. The initial apple hit is very sweet, but it quickly morphs into an almost bitter and tart finish. A little oak is still noticeable. Massive carbonation, very similar to Champagne. Tasty fine.

Sampled at joebrew’s weekly beer tasting at Cellar’s Wine & Spirits in ST Paul, MN. Pours a clear light golden cider beverage with a fast dissolving white head that dissipates clean. Aroma of tart apples, a touch of yeast funk, some lime zest and a touch of honey. Taste is thin spritzy, light tart apples some light barnyard funk and lemon zest. Finish is slightly dry and mild tart with the remaining lemon zest flavor.

Thanks to Boboski for including me in this tasting. Pours very light like a apple sparkling wine. Dry apple and caramel aroma. Light apple taste, not sweet very smooth and refreshing. Finishes dry with a nice carbonation. Very very good.