Eric Bordelet
A sommelier by training, in 1992 Eric took over his family’s estate and orchards. His goal is to revolutionize the cider industry and bring it into restaurants, high-end retail and export markets. A close friend of his, Didier Dagueneau, the icon wine-maker in Pouilly-sur-Loire, has encouraged him down the path of producing ciders from apples and pears that are like no others. Ciders that make one draw comparisons to fine vintage wine.
The core of Bordelet’s estate is the 1.5 hectares of antique varietal apple and pear trees that are 40-50 years old. In 1992 he began planting young trees (8 hectares), which are now in full production. He plants only true varietal (non-hybrid, non-cross) trees, and the trees are balanced between sweet, bitter and sour varieties. These are essential for producing ciders of character. Currently, he has 20 varieties of apples and 14 varieties of pears planted. The orchards are farmed organically and biodynamically, and Eric believes that this is the regimen which produces the best fruit for ciders.
Bordelet’s entire production of fruit is hand-picked in wooden cases. The apples are then left in a drafty place to dehydrate for three to five weeks after which time, the fruit is pressed. (The exception to this is the apples destined for the cuvée “Argelette” which are crushed and left to macerate on their skins for more extraction.) At this point, the alcoholic fermentation takes off, during which time the must is racked several times, and very lightly filtered. The ciders are then bottled during this fermentation with varying amounts of residual sugar depending on the cuvée. The fruit is never chaptalized! The entire production of mousse in the bottle is derived from the primary fermentation and the delicate bottling process. | 