News

« Ten Calvados that refine their finish »

In its article on « Cask Finish » (refining in barrels that have previously contained spirits) applied to Calvados, the Revue du Vin de France magazine places one of the Domaine Dupont cuvees at the first place of a short selection:

Calvados Cask Finish n°1 fût L2 :

« This relatively young Calvados (4+ years), with fruity and tangy notes, blends wonderfully with the peaty, smoky and iodized profile of this barrel from a distillery on the south coast of Islay, the famous Scottish island of peated malts. With a perfectly balanced intensity at 54% (too diluted, the peat could harm the apple), we find cooked apple, cardamom, honeysuckle and white flowers, notes of cherry, honey, citrus, anise and aromatic herbs. And also chocolate, dried fruits, smoked fish, caramel and spices before an epic mineral and liquorice finish. »

The June 2024 issue of CAVEMAN ( LE DRINK PARFAIT ) magazine has an article on cider-making. Laurence Marot has choosen Domaine Dupont « renowned for its know-how and exceptional cuvees » to explain harvesting, washing and sorting, pressing, fermentation and bottling.

Laurence Marot also has selected:  Cidre Reserve
« This signature cuvee will appeal to all connoisseurs! A blend of 60% bittersweet apples and 40% tart apples, this certified organic cider has aged for 6 months in oak barrels that previously hold Calvados. On the palate: a gourmet trip to Normandy, enhanced with fine bubbles, notes of caramelized apples and baked prune ending with a slight bitterness. »

The magazine Monsieur puts Domaine Dupont in the spotlight:

« Cavalcade in Calvados – Gone are the days of obscure distillers! Calvados has now regained its letters of nobility. Let’s look at three of its flagships in the Pays d’Auge. »

The article, illustrated with a photo of Etienne Dupont, presents the production of the estate, followed by tasting notes of two Calvados and one Cider:

Calvados Cask Finish Islay Whisky : « Enriching the classic aromatic palette of their Calvados, that is the goal. The result is a surprising alliance between the fruity and pastry notes of Calvados and the peaty, saline and mineral aromas which have made the reputation of the distilleries located on the Isle of Islay. Aged for a minimum of 4 years in toasted oak barrels then finished 6 months in barrels having contained Islay whiskey, it will delight lovers of spirits »

Calvados 30 ans non réduit : « A must for lovers of fine eaux-de-vie, dark chocolate and powerful cigars! This Calvados, aged more than 30 years in oak barrels, is bottled to the degree of the barrel, without dilution or cold filtration. Powerful, intense and elegant, it develops on the palate spicy notes, caramelized apples and undergrowth. »

Cider Cuvée Colette 2017 : « Very elegant, the Cuvee Colette is an homage to Etienne Dupont’s mother, representative of the 4th generation behind the creation of the Pays d’Auge appellation. The bubble is fine, the saline notes lead to fresh apple and the citrus fruits aromas. Elaborated according to the traditional method of sparkling wines, this slightly acidic cider reveals itself on the palate, lively, fresh, fine and delicate. For aperitif champagne lovers. « 

Read the pages on Calvados (in french)
Read page on Cider (in french)
Visit Monsieur Magazine website… (in french)

« Calvados, pommeau, cider … Faced with the health crisis and thanks to the dynamism of its players, the world of Normandy cider products has not lost its colors or its flavors. Innovation, ecology, mixology … an overview of a sector in full resistance.  »

The magazine Barmag.fr, « the magazine of trends in drinks and bar life », just had a feature article on the innovations in the apple products from Normandy: « A wind of modernity on the side of Calvados ».

The article presents some of the Domaine Dupont  innovative products :
the Calvados Cask Finish Islay Whiskey, the Unreduced 50-year-old Calvados (“a jewel full of flavors”) and the brand new Blanc de Pomme, a monovarietal still cider (photo).

Read the article online… (in french)

In the #135 issue, March/April 2021, the Elle à Table supplement of Elle magazine has a feature article on gastronomic ciders. In the few selected ciders, we find:

Domaine Dupont, Extra-brut Cider, Cidre Reserve 2019 :

« It takes benefits from aging in Calvados barrels for six months. On the nose, it is an alluring treat. Evocation of Tarte Tatin, the mouth is round, highly seductive, mischievous with its pretty bubbles. To be served with a beautiful apple dessert. »

The whole spirit of the “Calvados Pays d’Auge“ appellation
by Alexandre Vingtier

“Among the three Norman appellations authorized to produce Calvados, the Pays d’Auge stands out with an inimitable apple expression.“

Famille Dupont Calvados 50 ans non réduit :
“For several years now, this family estate in the western sector of the Pays d’Auge, near Cambremer, has been offering three unreduced old vintages of 30, 45 and 50 years! It takes generations of passion and sacrifice to produce such an eau-de-vie, where the wood is discreet to let all the dimensions of the apple express themselves. You can spend hours swooning over its very subtle nose, spring honey and dried flowers, very elegant, a recurring character trait in Pays d’Auge area, slightly enhanced by gourmet notes of ginger, galangal and hazelnut. As for the mouth, still nervous but without aggressiveness, a single centilitre on the tongue can be contemplated for long minutes during which orchard fruits (apple, pear, peach) and berries (cranberry, redcurrant, blueberry) follow one another, with hint of citrus fruit (clementine). Light smoky notes follow them, flint, tobacco, toasted almonds, coffee, leather in a bewitching and minty pizzicato.“

In the review of Château La Chenevière, Normandy, France, the british Luxury Lifestyle Magazine (LLM) mentions the Famille Dupont estate :

In the « To Do » section, after mentionning the WW2 cemetary and Bayeux Tapestry, the reviewer points out:

« Further afield, there’s a fantastic cider distillery, Calvados Dupont, turning orchard-grown apples into all sorts of delicious spirits, like the nation’s favourite Pommeau. »

Read the article on LLM website…

In a feature focusing on Calvados, the french magazine  Skake Well, « the cocktail culture and innovative bars magazine », wrote an article on Domaine Dupont.

Well documented, this article explains the history and philosophy of the estate in Calvados & cider-making. Innovative cuvées such as Cuvée Colette and Triple Cider are also introduced and explained.

Have a quick look…

Visit Skake Well website: https://www.shakewell.fr/

In a Normandie Gourmande (=Gastronomy in Normandy) special issue, the french magazine has selected the Domaine Dupont Pommeau to introduce this typical blend:

Pommeau de Normandie from Domaine Famille Dupont  :

« This blend of Calvados and apple press-juice unveils tart tatin aroma. Excellent with chocolate dessert. »

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The Feb. 24, 2019 issue of Sunday Times Magazine had a feature titled ‘While the cold lingers, look to France to lift the spirits’.

Will Lyons has included a Famille Dupont Calvados in his short selection of six brandies:

Dupont Calvados VSOP:
« One of my favourite holiday treats is to pour a shot of Calvados into a still-warm cup drained of coffee. This heady example from the Dupont family, the product of hand-harvested apples, is pale yet golden, rich on the nose and pleasantly biting on the finish. »

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The well-known english magazine Country Life has visited Domaine Dupont…

« Keeping spirits up. In the quiet green acres of northern France, a heady apple drink still reigns. Nick Hammond explores the Calvados of the Pays d’Auge ».

For the Summer 2018 issue, Imbibe Magazine has tasted  five french ciders.
Among the five selected ciders…

Domaine Dupont Cidre Reserve:

Six months’ ageing in Calvados casks creates an extraordinary nose that’s full of barnyard funk, apple and citrus, with a palate that’s beguilingly delicate.

Visit Imbibe website…

The Edible Manhattan sept/oct. issue (#52) has a feature article on the modern ways of Normandy Ciders : France Route du Cidre – Seeking a deeper, more modern understanding of Normandy’s signature beverage.

Ariel Lauren Wilson has carefully chosen the places for her to visit and Domaine Dupont was one the very first.

« Any trip from my Crown Heights apartment on a frigid January night is a special occasion. A craft cider dilettante and flaming francophile (I lived in France pre–New York), I had enough reason last winter to attend a discussion with esteemed Normandy cidermaker Jérôme Dupont about how French cider is “markedly different from the Wild West mentality in the U.S.” … »
Continue reading on Edible Manhattan website…

The world-famous Hotel de Crillon in Paris has reopened its doors following a comprehensive four-year renovation. In this world of excellence, the young and brillant Christophe Davoine – Meilleur Ouvrier de France (the highest award in France) –  is the new chef-barman.

When it comes to cocktails, he likes to work with Calvados and especially the Calvados Original from Domaine Dupont. He has created a cocktail simple and inventive, Calvados Tonic, coming with a celery remoulade and small sticks of apple.

The Sep/Oct 2017 issue of  Whisky Magazine tells us everything.
Read the article… (in french)

Bar Les Ambassadeurs – Hôtel de Crillon
10 place de la Concorde – Paris 9e – France

« The Cider boom is here to come » says Ulla Häkkinen
and Domaine Dupont Cidre Reserve 2015 is her top choice !

>> Read the whole feature article (in Finnish)…

Craft Beer World: A Guide to over 350 of the Finest Beers Known to Man
by Mark Dredge – Dog’n’Bone editors, 208 pages – eBook also available.

In the Barrel-aged beers section, Mark Dredge has selected:

Cidre Dupont Reserve
« This isn’t beer but it is barrel-aged and does taste extraordinary. Craft-beer drinkers looking for more variety in their glasses are turning toward cider with more regularity (…) Cidre Dupont Reserve is aged in Calvados barrels for six months before release and that gives a cider with elegance and complexity: there’s green apple, fragrant citrus, tart tropical fruit, cellar-like funk, and a round depth of toffee and spice from the aging. »

« An Apple Brandy a Day Keeps the Winter Blues Away »

In the latest issue of Wine Enthusiast (12/31/2016), Kara Newman  shares her tasting notes of a few selected top-‘notch Calvados.
Among them, in the Top 3:

Calvados Dupont Vieille Reserve: 94 pts
« This golden brandy is scented with rich vanilla and honey, plus a surprising herbaceous lilt. The bold flavor has a savory, almost meaty note at first sip, but finishes with more delicate freshness, fading into honey, white flowers and vanilla. This complex, distinctive sipper is worth getting to know. »

Visit Wine Enthusiast website…

 
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Drinking in the
French Countryside
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Going to Brittany to look for the best independent breweries, Beer Connoisseur contributor Owen Ogletree has visited Domaine Dupont in Normandy:

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With a history of cider production dating back to 1887 and its own 50 acres of on-site orchards, the polished prize apple of the Normandy cider route has to be Famille Dupont.
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Many Dupont ciders are available in the USA, and Jerome works with American importers B. United in several innovative projects such as utilizing Champagne techniques for sparkling cider, experimenting with a variety of apple blends and aging cider in calvados barrels.

Visitors to Normandy should be sure to stop into Dupont’s bright and welcoming gift shop/tasting room and inquire about a tour.

Read the full story…

The September/October 2016 issue of the Jamie Oliver magazine asks:

« How d’you like them apples? Andy Harris visits Normandy, where the orchard harvest is in full swing, and unearths some deliciously sustaining rustic recipes using the region’s apples and calvados – including the rib-sticking honey-roasted duck with apples and baby onions that graces the issue’s cover. »

The article displays a photo of a Domaine Dupont calvados and lists the domain as a place to visit :
« Stunning calvados and cider, produced in small quantities through timeless methods ».

See article extract…