Calvados

Question 1

Appellations- Calvados

Answer 1

4 designations:

1. Basic eau de vie de cidre /poire de Normandie or Bretagne
2. AOC Calvados
3. AOC Calvados Domfrontais w 30% pears in blend
4. Premium AOC Calvados du Pays d’Auge

Question 2

Raw Materials- Calvados

Answer 2

46 apple varieties allowed. 5 categories:
1) Sour + acidic => freshness
2) Bitter => tannins
3) Bittersweet => sugar + tannins
4) Sweet => sugar
􀂃
Blend requires sweet apples for alcohol + sour + acidic to stabilise fermentation
􀂃
Typical blend: 10% acid + 20% bitter + 50% bitter sweet + 20% sweet

Question 3

Fermentation- Calvados

Answer 3

2 key stages:
a. Apples crushed + placed in VATs
b. Natural yeasts strain start working
c. 6% abv cider
􀂃
AOC – 4 wk fermentation AOC Pays d’Auge – 6-8wks

Question 4

Distillation- Calvados

Answer 4

1. AOC Calvados: single column still to give lighter racier spirit
2. 􀂃AOC Domfrontais: single column still over direct fire
3. 􀂃AOC Pays d’Auge: double distillation in Charentais still (like Cognac) to boost abv to 65-70% abv

Question 5

Maturation- Calvados

Answer 5

􀂃Follows standard Brandy practice i.e. short period in new oak first and longer ageing in new oak.

􀂃Large 1,000/2,000l VATs or 250 to 600l barrels

Question 6

Classification- Calvados

Answer 6

Age = youngest component in blend
􀂃
4 categories:
1.***/Fine: min 2 years
2.Vieux/Reserve: min 3 years
3.VO/VSOP/Vieille réserve: min 4 years
4.XO/Extra/Napoleon/Hors d’Age: min 6 years

Question 7

Calvados- Orchards

Answer 7

The orchards must be planted at least 70 per cent bitter or bittersweet apple varieties and no more than 15 per cent acidic apple varieties.

Question 8

Calvados- Fermentation

Answer 8

Must- enrichment, the use of SO2, and added yeast are prohibited

Question 9

Calvados- Distillation

Answer 9

Calvados can be made using either 30hL copper pot stills or copper double- column stills. New make spirit may not exceed 72% abv

Question 10

Calvados- Maturation

Answer 10

Calvados must be aged in oak containers for a minimum of two years.

Question 11

Calvados Pays d’Auge (same as Calvados except…..)

Answer 11

Fermentation- The ciders may contain a maximum of 30 per cent perry pears.

Distillation- Calvados Pays d’Auge must be double distilled in a 30 hL pot still.

Question 12

Calvados Domfrontais (same as Calvados except…..)

Answer 12

Orchards- The orchards must be planted with at least 15 per cent perry pears. The remainder is planted with apple varieties in the same proportions required of apple orchards.

Distillation- The distillation must take place in a copper double- column still.

Maturation- Calvados Domfrontais must be aged in oak containers for a minimum of three years.

Question 13

Calvados- Labelling Terms

Answer 13

• *** (3 star) or VS (Very Special) or Fine: The youngest spirit in the blend is at least two years old.
• Vieux or Reserve: The youngest spirit in the blend is at least three years old.
• VO (Very Old) or VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) or Vielle Reserve: The youngest spirit in the blend is at least 4 years old.
• Napoleon: The youngest spirit in the blend is at least 6 years old.
• XO (Extra Old), Hors d’Age, Tres Vielle Reserve, Tres Vieux, Extra: The youngest eau-de-vie in the blend is at least 10 years old.
• Aged Indicated: The youngest spirit in the blend is the age stated on the label
• Vintages: All spirits must come from the age stated on the label.

Question 14

Why does Normandy have pear and apple orchards not grapes?

Answer 14

Because it is way too cold

Question 15

When did Calvados first start being made in Normandy?

Answer 15

1533 (but might have been made a little earlier)

Question 16

Why does Normandy have pear and apple orchards not grapes?

Answer 16

Because it is way too cold

Question 17

How many appellations can use the name Calvados?

Answer 17

3

Question 18

Which of the Calvados appealations is the most geographically widespread?

Answer 18

Calvados, it covers most of Normandy west of Rouen

Question 19

Pays d’ Auge is…

Answer 19

The smallest region located in the centre of Normandy

Question 20

Calvados Domfrontais….

Answer 20

Is confined to the western edge of Normandy

Question 21

Calvados can be made from?

Answer 21

Apples and Pears, but apples are far more widely planted.

Question 22

Calvados apples…

Answer 22

Are very similar to cider apples. They are chosen from four different categories (acidic/ sour, bittersour, bittersweet and sweet).

Question 23

The cider that is used to make calvados can use up to…

Answer 23

40 different varieties of apples

Question 24

Orchards that are used in the production of Calvados Domfrontais must have a minimum…

Answer 24

Percentage of pear trees

Question 25

To protect the local varieties used in Calvados what law has been put in place?

Answer 25

That at least 20% of the trees planted in Calvados orchards must be local varieties.

Question 26

What is the process of Calvados fermentation?

Answer 26

The Apple Varieites are not processed separately. They are crushed to produce a pulp and this is then pressed to release the apple juice. Producers are not allowed to add sugar to the juice or use SO2. Furthermore they are not allowed to add yeast to start the ferment. The end result is a cider that reaches around 6% ABV.

Question 27

Calvados- Distillation

Answer 27

• Can place in either pot stills or double- column stills.
• Regardless of the still type new make spirit must not exceed 72% ABV
• Pays d’ Auge must be distilled using a copper pot still that is identical in its design to that used in Cognac
• The first product that is made is 28- 30% ABV, whilst the final spirit is typically in the range of 65- 70%.
• Calvados Domfrontais needs to be distilled in a double copper still. The number of plates is limited to 26
• The appealation of Calvados is a bit more flexible. Either a pot or column still can be used.

Question 28

Calvados- Maturation

Answer 28

• Traditionally aged in large oak foudres (1,000 to 10,000 ltr) that were reused over and over
• This meant that not much oak tones were picked up over time.
• Some distillers are now using some new oak maturation for a short period of time.

Question 29

Which AOP requires a minimum of 30% perry and three years in cask prior to release?

Answer 29

Calvados Domfrontais

Question 30

Calvados- The History of Calvados: Over 400 years ago…..

Answer 30

In the early 16th century, growing cider apple trees received a boost with the arrival of new varieties from the Basque Country. A gentleman of the Cotentin area, an Officer of National Forestry Commission called Gilles de Gouberville, was especially interested in tending his orchards which contained over 40 different varieties of apple trees no less, and on March 28, 1553 he noted for the first time in his diary the distillation of cider I order to obtain a drinkable brandy. This is the first occurrence of apple-brandy in an official piece of writing.
Not long after this, the apple-brandy distillers of Normandy set up as a guild, in 1606.

Question 31

Calvados- The History of Calvados: A legend is born….

Answer 31

In 1790, the Constituent Assembly set up the departments of France and named the Calvados after a rock located off Arromanches. Legend has it that this rock itself was called after a Spanish galleon with the Invincible Armada, the “San Salvador” or “El Salvador”, which sank as it sailed up towards the coast of England in 1588. The ship’s name possibly then shifted to “Calvador” and later “Calvados”.

While no archive reporting this shipwreck has been found, some old sea charts mention two “calva dorsa”, bald backs in Latin, corresponding to two strips of bare land on the clifftops between Port-en-Bessin and Arromanches. Navigators would take their bearings from these “calva dorsa” the words being contracted to “Calvados”.

Following the French Revolution, barter was liberalized: with improved communications, this was a boost for brandy from the production area closest to Paris. The brandy from the department of Calvados, soon itself named “Calvados”, became popular in the capital and the name soon became a generic term for any apple-brandy from Normandy.

The First World War brought a huge demand for spirits. The business of State spirits intended for the weapons industry put quantity first and quality a poor second and
the apple-brandy producers were roped in to help.
So, to avoid requisition during the Second World War, the producers then decided to claim appellation contrôlée status.

It was not until February 23, 1942 that an official order recognized Calvados Pays d’Auge as an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée and the Calvados produced in the other areas as an Appellation d’Origine Réglementée.

Cider production was revived in the 1980s. Initiated by the Regional Council, with ONIVINS later taking over, the reorganization of the orchards of Normandy now involved the plantation of orchards with cordon trees, with the emphasis on intensive fruit crops better suited to the constraints and requirements of modern agriculture.

Appellation d’Origine Réglementée Calvados was promoted to Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée in 1984 by official decree, and Domfrontais Calvados was similarly honoured on December 31, 1997.

New specifications setting out the conditions for production of the appellations d’origine contrôlées have been approved on 7 January 2015 by Decree N° 2015-12 for “Calvados Domfrontais”, on 6 February 2015 by Decree n° 2015-133 for “Calvados” and by Decree n° 2015-134 for “Calvados Pays d’Auge”.

Question 32

The Three Calvados Appellations (Calvados Pays d’Auge, Calvados, Calvados Domfrontais)

Answer 32

Three appellation areas have been drawn by the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine (INAO).

All operations involved in making the eaux-de-vie have to be carried out within each of these geographical areas: apple and pear harvest, the manufacture, the distillation of the ciders and ageing of the brandies.

In each area, the identified orchards comprise at least 70% of bitter or bitter-sweet varieties.
A procedure of controls accompanies the various stages of the manufacturing.

Question 33

Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée “Calvados Pays d’Auge”

Answer 33

It is produced in the geographical area of the Pays d’Auge on slopes of shallow clayey-calcareous soil (in the Calvados département but also including a few borderland communes in the Orne and Eure).

Ciders for distilling contain no more than 30 % of perry pears.

The alembic pot-still is compulsory for Calvados Pays d’Auge and involves double distillation.
It aged for at least two years in oak casks before being marketed.

Question 34

Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée “Calvados”

Answer 34

Its area covers a large section of Lower Normandy, a smallest one in Upper Normandy and a few borderland communes in the Mayenne, Sarthe and Oise.

AOC Calvados follows no compulsory distillation method but is mostly produced with a column still (single distillation).

It aged for at least two years in oak casks before being marketed.

Question 35

Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée “Calvados Domfrontais”

Answer 35

The apples and pears used are grown on the wetter granite soils of the Domfront area which includes communes mostly in the Orne but also a few in the Manche and Mayenne.

The identified orchards are planted with at least 25% perry trees.

At least 30% perry pears are added to the ciders for distilling.

This Calvados is obtained by single distillation (column still).

It aged for at least three years in oak casks before being marketed.

Question 36

Calvados- Has two types of of orchard looks…..

Answer 36

Standard and Corton

Standard Trees
The traditional meadow planted out, with cows grazing under standard apple trees, is typical of the Normandy countryside. The trees are planted at maximum 250 per hectare for a maximum average yield of 25 metric tons of cider apples.

Corton Trees
The more modern shape of the specialist orchard devoted exclusively to fruit production (cordon orchard).
Keeping the grass down is no longer done by livestock, but mechanically: the grass is regularly crushed to form a lawn to break the apples’ fall.
The trees are planted closer together, about 600 per hectare for an average yield of 35 metric tons of cider apples.

Altogether we are talking about an orchard of over 7 million trees.

Did you know?
The standard apple tree first produces apples after about 10 years and reaches full production at 15 years. It can live for over 70 years.
The cordon apple tree starts producing apples after about 4 years. It is in full production at around 8 years and lives for about thirty years.
Pommes

The harvest season lasts from early October till late November. Cider apples come in four classes, “bitter “, “bitter -sweet”, “sweet” and “tart”, these varieties being blended together to build up a balanced cider and later a harmonious Calvados. Calvados is never made from just one variety.

From this apple which will have grown and ripened in the appellation area, the juice is extracted and once it has completely fermented in a completely natural process, becomes cider for distilling.
Fermentation must be carried out slowly (a minimum of 21 days for AOC Calvados and Calvados Pays d’Auge and thirty days for Calvados Domfrontais).
The most stringent selection process is necessary: the cider to be distilled must have an alcohol content of at least 4.5% at 20°c with no added sugar.

The distillation campaign starts on July 1st in one year and finishes on June 30th of the following year. Distillation generally takes place in spring and autumn, according to traditional processes carefully codified in a stringent set of regulations.

Did you know?

18 kg of cider apples are needed to make 13 litres of cider at 5% alcohol by volume, used to make 1 litre of Calvados at 70% alcohol by volume.

Question 37

Calvados Distillation

Answer 37

Cider is turned into Calvados by the distillation process whereby the alcohol is separated from the water: when the cider is heated, having a lower boiling point than water, the alcohol it contains is boiled off first.
The still is the instrument used to collect this alcohol-charged vapour and condense it in order to obtain a brandy in which are found the volatile substances making up the main elements of the bouquet.

Question 38

What are the two types of Calvados Distillation?

Answer 38

Pot-still or reflux still (alambic à repasse) or Reflux column still (alambic à colonne “de premier jet”)

Question 39

Calvados: Pot-still or reflux still (alambic à repasse)

Answer 39

Required for making AOC “Calvados Pays d’Auge”, it is the traditional still made of copper elements and involves a double distillation.

The cider is heated in the pot (boiler). The alcohol vapour rises, is collected in the onion, olive or Moor’s head-shaped dome, goes along the swan neck then through
the coil which plunges into a tank of cold water. On coming into contact with the coolant, the vapours condense into a liquid. The “heads” and “tails”, the vapours at the beginning and end of distillation which are very rich in higher alcohols and will be redistilled with the next cider, are eliminated to obtain the “brouillis” or “petite eau” containing 28 to 30% alcohol.

The second heating is to distil this “small water”. The heads and tails are also separated off to preserve only the heart of distillation called “bonne chauffe”. This should not exceed 72% on leaving the still.
To save energy, the cider to be distilled in a later batch is introduced into the cider heater which helps to cool the alcohol vapour passing through it and in the process it is preheated to 65°C before being sent to the heater chamber.

Question 40

Calvados: Reflux column still (alambic à colonne “de premier jet”)

Answer 40

Mandatory for making Domfrontais Calvados, it is also used for AOC Calvados.
It comprises three elements: the heater chamber, the stripping column which comprises 15 or 16 bubble-up plates and the condensation column made up of 8 enrichment plates.

The first column receives the cider in its upper section. On the way down the cider passes from plate to plate. The application of heat causes the most volatile substances (water and esters) to vaporize. The water vapour produced from the depleted cider rises up again and is enriched as it bubbles through the cider with the volatile elements – alcohol, esters and aroma components.
They are finally concentrated in the smallest column which delivers brandy directly at maximum strength 72%. The column still has to be fitted with three draw-off taps to separate the “heads” and the “tails” and keep just the “heart” of the distillation.

Question 41

Calvados distillations in either method…..

Answer 41

produce a colourless eau-de-vie with a surprisingly floral and fruity flavour which will take its colour and open out with the complicity of wood and time.

Question 42

Calvados: Ageing Calvados

Answer 42

Depending on the appellation, the Calvados cannot be put on sale before a minimum 2 or 3 years of barrel ageing. So it has to be matured and its alcohol level brought down to the standard consumption strength (minimum 40% by vol.).

Certain types of Calvados delight the angels over many years. In contact with the air, their alcoholic strength and volume gradually decreases as some of the alcohol evaporates (this is known as the “angels’ share”).

The Calvados ages in very dry oak casks, the contact with the wood passes on the elements needed to bring it to perfect completion. The tannic material in the wood gives it its natural colour and through the ongoing exchanges between the young brandy, the wood and the surrounding air, the Calvados acquires its subtlety and plenitude.

At some producers, the young Calvados is first matured in 250 to 600 litre barrels made of new wood highly charged in tannins, to give it a little colour and nerve before transferring it into casks that are older, sometimes a hundred years old.

Other producers prefer to put the Calvados directly in already used 1,000 to 10,000 litre tuns, providing storage as well as ageing.

Little by little, the flavour of the Calvados intensifies, as does its colour, going from golden to a deeper amber. The aromas of fresh apples so present in a young Calvados, develop into more complex flavours of cooked apples and wood, along with a hint of vanilla, honey, spices or nuts, signs that it is maturing nicely.

Question 43

Calvados: Know how to read the labels

Answer 43

This is required by law:

• The sales denomination, that is, the name of the Designation accompanied by the words ‘Appellation contrôlée’, all this in very clear lettering.
• the alcohol content by volume (minimum 40% by vol.)
• the capacity
• the name and address of the manufacturer or the distributor
• mention of any allergens where necessary
• The packager code if the packager is not the same as the producer who puts its name on the label
• The green dot logo in the case of membership of a competent body
• The batch number
• The health message for expectant mothers

The label may also be marked “production fermière” when a brandy is exclusively farm-made (from harvest to bottling), possibly followed by the area of production for AOC Calvados.

Question 44

Calvados:

Answer 44

The distillation campaign begins on July 1st and ends on June 30th of the following year. The age of a Calvados takes the distillation date into account. Thus, a cider distilled on July 1st 2012 becomes “brandy appellation pending”, and then on obtaining approval is recorded by the IDAC and given count “00” until June 30th 2013.On July 1st 2013, this Calvados will move on to ageing count “0”.

The proposed bottles belong to two families: blends and vintages.

In the case of a blend (e.g. “25 ans d’âge”), only the age of the youngest brandy is indicated. So a 25 year-old brandy may contain brandies that are 40 or 50 years old, but nothing younger than 25 years old.
Vintage (e.g. “1954”) is one reference year indicating that the Calvados contains distillation(s) from a single year. It is also advisable to mention the year of bottling on the label because once bottled Calvados does not age any further.

Although not compulsory, any mention of the age must comply with the following indications:

« Trois étoiles » - « Trois pommes » - « VS » (Very Special),
Count 2: indicates at least 2 years ageing in wood.

“Vieux” - “Réserve”,
Count 3: indicates at least three years ageing.

“V.O.” (Very Old) - “Vieille Réserve” - “VSOP” (Very Special Old Pale),
Count 4: at least four years ageing.

« Hors d’Age » - « XO » - « Très Vieille Réserve » - « Très Vieux » - « Extra » - « Napoléon » ,
Count 6: indicates at least six years ageing.