In the heart of Normandy, between evergreen lanes and sandstone spires, lies Domaine Cyprien Lireux, the estate of a cidermaker who embodies the new wave magic of French cider today.
From our first steps on the farm, eagerly greeted by ever-present Nutsie the dog (she appears on all the labels), we knew we'd arrived somewhere special.
For Cyprien, cidermaking began like many of Normandy's new school of producers, with fruits gleaned from his grandparents' orchards. But with burning ambition, he planted over 8 hectares of apple and perry pear trees of his own — an endeavour that took over half a decade to reach maturity.
That investment is bearing fruit (literally), and we have selected three of his finest cuvées for a limited UK release: a classic Normandy-style brut cider, an elegant perry, and an unbelievable Cabernet Franc co-ferment.
