Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouché Brut de Normandie

2002 bottle - weak and watery, alcoholic, wood laden tart apple juice. Not much to say here unfortunately....

2002 vintage bottle. Looks like cider, smells like wood. Thin, watery flavor. Pillow-soft carbonation. Watery finish. Not great, not bad. Overpriced at $15 or so.

1999 Great cider. Quite bitter finish. One of the best ciders i’ve tried. Very dry flavour and a fruity aroma.

2004 Vintage Sampled February 2007: Opens w/ a bang. Pours crystal clear orange yellow w/ a short lasting foam of a head. Nose is funky, sweaty, musty and cheesy w/ a very definite apple character. The apples become more apparent once tasted due to a moderate sweetness--which is thankfully balanced by brisk and effervescent carbonation. Head and shoulders above the last bottle I tried and a very fine pour indeed. Could easily substitute for champagne at any dinner w/ open minded people.

Original rating: The opening of this bottle was quite eventful. No. It didn’t gush. Upon opening an odd cluster of sediment rose to the top of the bottle in a large semi-gelatinous mass. I don’t know if that’s supposed to happen but that’s what happened. The cider was very hazy. In fact, very close to the appearance of sweet, non-alcoholic cider. Upon closer examination, I found a rather unappealing lump of black sediment at the bottom of the glass (this is the first pour, mind you). The nose is pungent and bretty with a bit of tart apple. Bone dry with an appealing strong apple flavor. So far, so good, right? But here’s where things go horribly wrong. The finish tastes like bandaids and antibacterial soap. Gross. I really, really wanted to enjoy this cider--I gave it every chance in the world as I like bretty beers like lambic--but, honestly, this stuff kinda sucks. (2.0)

Pours an orange tan with a huge head that fades quickly. Aroma of tart and sweet apples, and a hint of vinegar. Flavor is initially a nice tart apple. The finish was a bit off and had an almost cloriseptic like flavor. Very good up until the finish.

10.31.04 750ml bottle (2003). Hazed pale straw color with silvery-white highlights and a massive white head. The aroma is all apples and champagne; not unlike a sparkling reisling. Very inviting to smell. The flavors up front are apply, sweet, pulpy, and juicy. Midway through the experience a real funk sets in and the cider gets nice and barny with dusty notes, brett. Huh. Sharp and bitter grapeskin finish is very refreshing. Fascinating, I love it!

RBMNG 10/30/04. Bottled 2002 Vintage. Here’s another style, like lambics and gueuzes and sakes, that probably shouldn’t be on Ratebeer. But, nevertheless, I don’t mind trying these styles and I guess I don’t mind telling you how I feel about them. Apple aroma (shocker!), somewhat like Martinelli’s (I’m sure the Dupont family is crazy mad reading that) with alcohol; more refined, however. Sophistication in the nose. As others in our MN Ratebeer gathering group mentioned, buttered popcorn or caramel apple are other notes identified in the aroma. Hazy light gold in color with lots of sparkles. Nice flavor, although could use a little more sweetness and tartness. A little dull and subdued. Too much of the skin flavor pervardes. Subtle.