Calvados And Eau Du Vie

Question 1

What is the classification of eaux de vie?

Answer 1

Not technically classified as brandy, as it is defined as something produced from a wide assortment of fruit.

Question 2

What is the most notable eau de vie in the world?

Where is it from?

Answer 2

Calvados, distilled from apple and pear cider and produced in the Normandy region of northern France.

Question 3

What are the three appellations for Calvados and where are each located?

Answer 3

Calvados AOC

Calvados Domfrontais AOC- southwestern section of Calvados (confirm?)

Calvados Pays d’Auge “pay-doe-shuj” AOC-limited to the east end of thedépartementof Calvados and a few adjoining districts.

Question 4

How is Calvados traditionally distilled and aged?

Answer 4

Calvados is traditionally distilled twice in a copper pot still and aged for a minimum of two years in oak casks.

Question 5

Name six other eaux de vie besides Calvados.

Answer 5

—Kirschwasser (Kirsch; Morello Cherry Pits)
—Poire Williams (Williams/Barlett pears)
—Framboise (raspberries)

—Slivovitz (Yellow plum), Mirabelle, Quetsch, and Prunelle (all names for plum eaux de vie)

—Boukha (fig) is the national drink of Tunisia
—Barack Palinka (apricot) is popular in Hungary.

Question 6

Calvados AOC requirements:

• Encépagement
• Distillation Procedures

Answer 6

• Calvados may be produced from apple (cidre) and/or pear (poiré)
• Apple Orchards must contain a min. 70% bitter (phenolic) varieties and a max. 15% acidic varieties
• Distillation may not begin until at least 28 days after the extraction of the must.
• Distillation may occur in either a copper continuous still or the base cidre/poiré may be double-distilled in a copper pot still.

Question 7

Calvadoes Pays d’Auge “pay-doe-shuj” AOC requirements:

• Encépagement
• Distillation Procedures

Answer 7

• produced from apple (cidre), plus up to 30% pear (poiré)
• Apple Orchards must contain a min. 70% bitter (phenolic) varieties and a max. 15% acidic varieties
• Distillation may not begin until at least 42 days after the extraction of the must.
• Double Distillation must occur in a copper pot still (Alambic à repasse)

Question 8

Calvados Domfrontais AOP requirements:

• Encépagement
• Base Cidre/Poire Requirements
• Distillation Procedures

Answer 8

• produced from apple (cidre), plus at least 30% pear (poiré)
• Apple Orchards must contain a min. 70% bitter (phenolic) varieties and a max. 15% acidic varieties
• Orchards used for the production of Calvados Domfrontais must contain at least 15% pear trees (25% from 2016 forward)

-Cidre for Calvados Domfrontais must contain at least 30% poiré

• Distillation may not begin until at least 42 days after the extraction of the must
• Distillation must occur in a continuous reflux column still

Question 9

What is rémiage?

Answer 9

Second maceration with water in Cognac.

Question 10

In all Calvados appellations, what percentage of apple orchards must contain “local” varieties?

Answer 10

20%

Question 11

In Calvados appellations which of these below procedures are legal?

Pasteurization, Acidification, Chaptalization, Carbonation, and Addition of Yeasts or Nutrients.

Answer 11

They are all illegal.

Question 12

What are the minimum aging requirements for Calvados appellations?

Answer 12

Calvados and Calvados Pays d’Auge:
—Prior to release, Calvados must be aged in oak casks (max. 20 hl) for a min. 2 years (from July 1 following the distillation)

Calvados Domfrontais:
—Prior to release, Calvados Domfrontais must be aged in oak casks (max. 20 hl) for a min. 3 years from the date of distillation

Question 13

Calvados Age Indication:

—Fine / Trois Étoiles / Trois Pommes / VS

—Vieux / Réserve

—VO / VSOP / Vieille Réserve

—Hors d’Age / XO / Très Vieille Réserve / Très Vieux / Extra / Napoléon

Answer 13

—Fine / Trois Étoiles / Trois Pommes / VS: min. 2 years old (this does not appear in Domfrontais AOC as minimum requirement is 3 years)

—Vieux / Réserve: min. 3 years old

—VO / VSOP / Vieille Réserve: min. 4 years old

—Hors d’Age / XO / Très Vieille Réserve / Très Vieux / Extra / Napoléon: min. 6 years old

**Calvados may be released as a vintage bottling or a blend of years.

Question 14

What is “Haute Tige”?

Answer 14

Trained on trees.

• a term for Calvados production, in which min 50% of the fruit must be trained on trees.
• 250 trees/hectare is the maximum planting density for Calvados apple ochards labeled “Haut-Tige” and 150 for pear trees

**en basse tige is apple and pears together; 1000 trees per hectare

Question 15

Where is Calvados made?

What is to the north and east of this region?

What is the body of water along this region?

Answer 15

Normandy

• east of Brittany and north of Loire Valley
• coastal region along the English Channel.

Question 16

What is the correct Calvados to must ratio for Pommeau de Normandie?

Answer 16

2/3 Calvados and 1/3 must

Question 17

Where German eau-de-vie production what does the suffix “—geist” indicate?

Answer 17

A spirit whose flavor is achieved through maceration and distillation.