La Face Cachée De La Pomme Neige Récolte d'Hiver
(has 5 batches)
Verger Hemmingford in Hemmingford, Quebec, Canada 🇨🇦
Cider - Ice Cider Regular Out of Production|
Score
8.60
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Première and Réserve are made in a special technique called "cryo-concentration". They picked the apples very ripe and keep them in a special warehouse in temperature overing +1 C unti the first freezing temperatures of winter. Them they will press them and store the juice in large plastic bins which will be put outside for 3-6 weeks at temperatures overing around -4 to -6 C. This period will see the water separate from the juice. Because water is less dense than sugar it will freeze and the sugary juice will not. They will then collect the super concentrate and super sweet must, about 1/3 of the original quantity, and ferment it. For Première, it will be in stainless steel for 6 months while Réserve will see its must ferment for 8 months, 50% of which in oak barrels (2nd use red wine barrels from US producers).
Première will be filtered and bottled straight away while Réserve will be blended with 50% fresh cider and 50% aged cider and then bottled.
Récolte d'Hiver is different in that the apples will be left on the trees until January when the temperature will drop to - 15C. Here it is very important that the apples be healthy. During the period before picking, the apples will dehydrate and will be exposed to the elements (sun/wind/rain/snow) thus acquiring extra concentration and also extra complexity. When freezing temperature appears, the water will concentrate at the core of the apple while the sugar will tend to be pushed towards the surface. If the apples would be picked at a lower temperature than -15C, they would be too soft and collapse on picking. But at -15C, they are hard enough to pick. On arrival at the cellar, they will be pressed immediately so that only a super concentrated and sweet juice will flow. A very tiny percentage of the juice will be used for this wine - it will take about 50-80 apples to make a single bottle! The must will then be fermented for 8 months and bottled right away.
Première will be filtered and bottled straight away while Réserve will be blended with 50% fresh cider and 50% aged cider and then bottled.
Récolte d'Hiver is different in that the apples will be left on the trees until January when the temperature will drop to - 15C. Here it is very important that the apples be healthy. During the period before picking, the apples will dehydrate and will be exposed to the elements (sun/wind/rain/snow) thus acquiring extra concentration and also extra complexity. When freezing temperature appears, the water will concentrate at the core of the apple while the sugar will tend to be pushed towards the surface. If the apples would be picked at a lower temperature than -15C, they would be too soft and collapse on picking. But at -15C, they are hard enough to pick. On arrival at the cellar, they will be pressed immediately so that only a super concentrated and sweet juice will flow. A very tiny percentage of the juice will be used for this wine - it will take about 50-80 apples to make a single bottle! The must will then be fermented for 8 months and bottled right away.
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8.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
Shes got legs, she knows how to use them. Bottle courtesy of MartinT, thank you. This stuff is great, sweet apple aroma, not nausating sweetness but enought to say this is great sweet apple. Just a hint of bareable alcohol in the flavor to take away any alco-pop feel. Just great sweet, well balanced, apple cider. I wish the bottles were bigger and not so freaking expensive and not only available in Canada.
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 Jan 2007
at 16:18
8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Just when I thought I wasn’t going to have anything special for my 1300th rating, beastiefan2k breaks this out to share at his place (thanks, Eugene!) - very viscous, headless pour, with lots of legs along the sides of the glass - dark golden color, kind of like apple juice (go figure) - very sweet, natural, earthy apple aroma, smelling like slightly overripe apples that have just been sliced - a hint of alcohol presence in the background of the aroma - very slick mouthfeel - very sweet (but not cloying), with slight alcohol, making it taste like an apple brandy or some other kind of cordial - the taste is like that of apples and pears floating in a mixture of honey and rosewater - it tends to get a little syrupy after a while, so I suppose it’s best to just drink a couple of ounces in a sitting - this is a real treat.
Tried
on 06 Jan 2007
at 10:34
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
A dark orange cider with no head. The aroma contains notes of apples and some rotten fruit. While the flavor also is dominated by apples - again with a slight note of rotten fruit, but also some acidity. The mouthfeel is smooth, but at the same time sticky.
Tried
on 20 Nov 2005
at 11:46
9.4/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 10
Texture 10
Overall 9.5
Golden-brown colour with plenty of legs. Woodsy, earthy aroma with a mix of figgy dark fruits and apricotty bright ones...a little molasses in there as well. More complex aroma than the Neige but perhaps less enticing. The flavour on the other hand...oh shit...toasty, woodsy flavours with soft brown sugar, dashes of malic acid, rich clean fruit and the strong suggestion of nutmeg. Exquisite. Recent vintages have a lot of lychee aroma.
Tried
on 18 Jul 2005
at 00:50
8.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
RBSG 2003 Vintage Deep gold color with the same legs seen on all of this cideries creations. Fruity aroma, complex. Cinnamon, spices, apples! Syrup is light on the tongue. Very tasty sipper.
Tried
on 16 Jul 2005
at 18:42
9.2/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 10
Texture 10
Overall 9
2004 bottle sampled 6/4/2005 at Mondial. Stumbled upon this unknowingly and was left dumbfounded. All I scribbled down on my notes was the phrase, "just so complex!". You better believe I remember the rest, though.
A warm-toned honey and apricot colored cider, with some gleaming copper and brass, and darker caramel shades in the middle. Legs are left in response to swirling the thick, limpid, liquid. Aroma of cinnamon, cloves, sweet apple skins and pulp, rich butter pie-crust with freshly baked, warm apples and a glass of brandy. Vanilla and almonds in there as well. Flavor is explosive, complex and just stupefying. Rich cinnamon-flavored iced cream, with warm cointreau-soaked apples atop. Brandy, luscious caramel and full, sweet red apples, never syrupy or cloying. Powerful finish is warming, well-spiced of clove, allspice, oranges and vanilla. Body is gentle yet strong, very impressive and easy to sip. Finish does not "make you pay for it" by dousing you with alcohol. Tremendously balanced and just pure flavor from start to finish. As David says, this one is seemingly perfect in its own right, and takes the route of the wonderfully balanced, full bodied, strong and complex Belgian Strong Ale, whereas a perfect 5 in my book would also be an ultra funky farmhouse cider, for which I have more preference. This is incredible though. Glad we discovered it.
A warm-toned honey and apricot colored cider, with some gleaming copper and brass, and darker caramel shades in the middle. Legs are left in response to swirling the thick, limpid, liquid. Aroma of cinnamon, cloves, sweet apple skins and pulp, rich butter pie-crust with freshly baked, warm apples and a glass of brandy. Vanilla and almonds in there as well. Flavor is explosive, complex and just stupefying. Rich cinnamon-flavored iced cream, with warm cointreau-soaked apples atop. Brandy, luscious caramel and full, sweet red apples, never syrupy or cloying. Powerful finish is warming, well-spiced of clove, allspice, oranges and vanilla. Body is gentle yet strong, very impressive and easy to sip. Finish does not "make you pay for it" by dousing you with alcohol. Tremendously balanced and just pure flavor from start to finish. As David says, this one is seemingly perfect in its own right, and takes the route of the wonderfully balanced, full bodied, strong and complex Belgian Strong Ale, whereas a perfect 5 in my book would also be an ultra funky farmhouse cider, for which I have more preference. This is incredible though. Glad we discovered it.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Jun 2005
at 13:23