The cider-producing activity is summarized with the cutting of the trees, the maintenance of the grounds of the orchards, the harvest of the fruits and the production of the farm products (cider, poiré, apple juice pasteurized, cider vinegar, pommeau and Calvados (apple-brandy)).
The fruits are hand collected according to their maturation and are stored in sieves out of wood. Juices are extracted with a press after having grated the fruits.
Pressing Operation
The Cider
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Processing
After pressing, the collected juice is stored in tanks. After 48 hours approximately, the impurities start to go up on the surfaces to form a "hat". The first racking will be carried out when this hat takes a brown colour. Then rackings and filtrations in are carried out order to control fermentation; the final objective is to have a loss of density of a point per week. It is one of the most significant stages of the production, indeed, on the control the speed of fermentation depend mainly the flavours obtained (hazel nuts, vanillas, etc.) and thus of the quality of the cider. Lastly, the bottling comes, according to the sugar content one obtains soft ciders (the most sweetened) medium dry or raw (the least sweetened).
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Consumption advice
Produced of the Soil, par excellence, the Farm Cider of the Domaine de la Baudrière is a drink in natural fermentation in an artisan way, 100% pure juice, without addition of conservatives, additives and sweetening chemical. With small quantity of alcohol only, the cider is drunk quite fresh (between 8° and 10°C). The raw and medium dry ciders are consumed in the course of meal and the soft cider with a dessert. The farm cider of the Domaine de la Baudrière will be able to astonish you with its savour.
The Poiré
"Poiré fills its barrel", indicates the popular saying. Today, the pear trees became rare in the area. Their disappearance is due partly to the scale of the tree which occupies of significant surfaces and with the evolution of agriculture.
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Processing
Poiré is elaborate according to the same technology as the cider but with some differences which are: no formation of "hat" forward fermentation, the fruit is gathered into 2 to 3 times over one 3 weeks period. Crushing is made at once the collected fruits.
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Consumption advice
Of a Champagne colour, poiré is very often used to make "aperitif Kir", it also accompanies the cakes in dessert. As the cider it must be been useful very fresh between 8° and 10° C.
The Pasteurized Apple Juice
The characteristic of the pasteurised apple juice is that it is produced starting from cider apples and acidulous variety giving a juice low in sugar and is acidulated to give freshness.
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Processing
The pasteurised apple juice is a cider which makes just heat at 65°C after racking under hat and before fermentation.
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Consumption advice
This non-alcoholic product is used like drink and can be consumed by everyone in the family. It can also be used in the form of ice floe to refresh glass of Calvados to aperitif.
The Cider Vinegar
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Processing
It is a cider which finished its fermentation, the whole of sugars is transformed into alcohol. After fermentation a "mother" is added to cause the accitic puncture of the cider. Marketing is made at the end of 2 years of ageing out of barrel. The Domaine de la Baudrière produces vinegars of cider aromatized with thyme, bay-tree, tarragon or nature.
The Pommeau of Normandy
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Processing
Born of the change of an apple must resulting from fruits collected in selected orchards assembled with a maximum two years aged Calvados. Must is mixed into only once in the respect of the proportions (2/3 of must for 1/3 of Calvados). The Pommeau is marketed after a two years ageing into oak barrel.
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Consumption advice
It must be served very fresh for aperitif.
The Calvados A.O.C
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Processing
The excess of the production of apple of the Domaine de la Baudrière is transformed into Calvados. At the end of alcohol fermentation the cider is distilled. A cider at the end of the fermentation titrates 4° up to 7° alcohol following the sugar content of the apple juice in pressing. Distilled with the column still for the extraction of the cider alcohol. The Calvados leaves to 70° alcohol and is out-of-date oak barrel from 220 to 400 liters. It Re-is nourished periodically (approximately every 2 years) by cider passages. During ageing the Calvados grows rich in fruity flavour and tanin by oak. The Domaine de la Baudrière proposes an assembly of 5 year and 7 years ageing Calvados allowing a balance between the tannins and the flavours.
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Consumption advice
Apple-brandy of the Domaine de la Baudrière can be consumed out of aperitif (natural Calvados with apple juice ice floes) or into digestive between two hot dishes at the time of the receptions.
