Ice cider, a Norman delicacy to discover
Born in Quebec in the 1990s, ice cider concentrates sugar and the memory of apples. In Normandy, it's inventing a new history, between serendipity and patient know-how.
Imagine a cider left to freeze. The water freezes to ice. The sugar and alcohol remain liquid. That's the secret of ice cider: a process inspired by Quebec winters, where apples freeze on the tree before being pressed. In Canada, the "ice cider" appellation has been protected by a PGI since 2014, and in Normandy, where the frosts come too late, producers have adapted the method.
A precious nectar
At Pressoir d'Or, near Évreux, apples have been a family affair for over thirty years. Margaux Doré, daughter of the founder, took over communication and marketing ten years ago. She explains: " Initially, the idea was to create an original aperitif with a different manufacturing process, to stand out from pommeau or calvados. We launched in 2014 with around fifteen producers. at that point, we had the same bottle, the same label, really the same packaging for everyone, which enabled us to make some small economies of scale and launch the product. "
The process is artisanal: large vats of cider are frozen while fermenting at around 3 or 4° alcohol, then the liquid part, concentrated in alcohol and sugar, is recovered. " As we freeze, we lose the gas, so we obtain a more syrupy, non-sparkling product with a higher alcohol content between 12 and 13°. "The result is precious: 800 liters of cider for just 200 liters of ice cider. " That ' s also why the bottle sells more," she confides. It takes ten months from harvest to bottling. As for the choice of base cider, Margaux's father, Éric Doré, selects the vat according to taste. " We look at the alcohol content, the sugar content, and we like the product to be balanced, not too bitter, not too sweet, not too fruity. We generally go for a demi-sec. "
Occasionally, a mistake offers a sweet perspective. " Two years ago, we forgot to save some classic cider for freezing. All that was left was rosé cider, which is made with a red apple, which is quite tart. Rather than not make ice cider at all, we tried rosé, and ended up with a ruby-red ice cider, with a fuchsia-red color and tart, almost cherry notes. We were delighted with the result, and it even went on to win a gold medal at the Vinalies, an international competition, in 2024. "This improvisation has become a new tradition: every year, Pressoir d'Or remakes this unexpected cider, proving that craftsmanship sometimes needs a bit of chance.
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A cider that leaves no one indifferent
Ice cider remains a niche product. "Clearly, it's not a volume product," admits Margaux. It's mainly found at holiday time, sometimes on the menus of restaurants like Le Cappeville (1 toque) in Gisors, in a few supermarkets or curious hotels, such as Le Bel Ami in Pacy-sur-Eure or La Musardière in Giverny.
When it arrives on the table, it surprises. Concentrated, syrupy and fruity, it is reminiscent of a sweet wine. " We recommend drinking it chilled, on its own, or with foie gras. it also works very well with blue-veined cheeses ", explains Margaux. Ice cider leaves no one indifferent. Some love it, others pass it by. But everyone who tastes it recognizes its uniqueness. " Every day, customers ask us what it is. "
Not yet protected in France, this rare cider nevertheless bears the promise of a terroir that knows how to reinvent itself. Between patience, chance and tradition, it offers another way of rediscovering the apple: soft, concentrated and discreetly elegant.
Le Pressoir d'Or
- Where? 57, route des Andelys, Saint-Jean de Frenelles, 27150 Frenelles-en-Vexin
- Store open Monday to Friday, 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm, and Saturday 2pm to 6pm
- Tel: 02 32 69 41 25
- www.pressoirdor.com
