Press Reviews
Some press articles commenting on the ciders and calvados of the Domaine Dupont...
La Revue du Vin de France - June 2024
"Ten Calvados that refine their finish"
Calvados Cask Finish n°1 fût L2 : (comes out in first position)
"This relatively young Calvados (4+ years), with fruity and tangy notes, blends wonderfully with the peaty, smoky and iodized profile of this barrel from a distillery on the south coast of Islay, the famous Scottish island of peated malts. With a perfectly balanced intensity at 54% (too diluted, the peat could harm the apple), we find cooked apple, cardamom, honeysuckle and white flowers, notes of cherry, honey, citrus, anise and aromatic herbs. And also chocolate, dried fruits, smoked fish, caramel and spices before an epic mineral and liquorice finish."
Magazine Caveman - n°16 - juin 2024
"This signature cuvee will appeal to all connoisseurs!"
"A blend of 60% bittersweet apples and 40% tart apples, this certified organic cider has aged for 6 months in oak barrels that previously hold Calvados. On the palate: a gourmet trip to Normandy, enhanced with fine bubbles, notes of caramelized apples and baked prune ending with a slight bitterness."
Nordic International Cider Awards (NICA) - November 2022
Cidre Triple 2021 : Bronze Award in the "Tannin Dominant" category.
Cidre Bouché 2021 : Silver Award in the "Tannin Dominant" category:
"Nice cider, good body and intensity, well balanced and complex flavours."
Cidre Reserve 2021 : Silver Award in the "Wood or Barrel-Aged" category:
"A classic example on barrel aging. Complex, letting apple through many levels. Nice one."
Monsieur Magazine - September/October 2021
Calvados Cask Finish Islay Whisky:
"Enriching the classic aromatic palette of their Calvados, that is the goal. The result is a surprising alliance between the fruity and pastry notes of Calvados and the peaty, saline and mineral aromas which have made the reputation of the distilleries located on the Isle of Islay. Aged for a minimum of 4 years in toasted oak barrels then finished 6 months in barrels having contained Islay whiskey, it will delight lovers of spirits"
"A must for lovers of fine eaux-de-vie, dark chocolate and powerful cigars! This Calvados, aged more than 30 years in oak barrels, is bottled to the degree of the barrel, without dilution or cold filtration. Powerful, intense and elegant, it develops on the palate spicy notes, caramelized apples and undergrowth."
Cider Cuvee Colette 2017:
"Very elegant, the Cuvee Colette is an homage to Etienne Dupont's mother, representative of the 4th generation behind the creation of the Pays d'Auge appellation. The bubble is fine, the saline notes lead to fresh apple and the citrus fruits aromas. Elaborated according to the traditional method of sparkling wines, this slightly acidic cider reveals itself on the palate, lively, fresh, fine and delicate. For aperitif champagne lovers. "
ELLE à table - Mach-April 2021
Cidre Reserve 2019 :
"It takes benefits from aging in Calvados barrels for six months. On the nose, it is an alluring treat. Evocation of Tarte Tatin, the mouth is round, highly seductive, mischievous with its pretty bubbles. To be served with a beautiful apple dessert."
La Revue du Vin de France - March 2021
"It takes generations of passion and sacrifice to produce such an eau-de-vie, where the wood is discreet to let all the dimensions of the apple express themselves. You can spend hours swooning over its very subtle nose, spring honey and dried flowers, very elegant, a recurring character trait in Pays d'Auge area, slightly enhanced by gourmet notes of ginger, galangal and hazelnut. As for the mouth, still nervous but without aggressiveness, a single centilitre on the tongue can be contemplated for long minutes during which orchard fruits (apple, pear, peach) and berries (cranberry, redcurrant, blueberry) follow one another, with hint of citrus fruit (clementine). Light smoky notes follow them, flint, tobacco, toasted almonds, coffee, leather in a bewitching and minty pizzicato."
L'Express - July 2019
In a "Normandie Gourmande" (="Gastronomy in Normandy") special issue, the french magazine has selected the Domaine Dupont Pommeau to introduce this typical blend:
Pommeau de Normandie :
"This blend of Calvados and apple press-juice unveils tart tatin aroma. Excellent with chocolate dessert."
Que Choisir - n° 577 February 2019
The french independant consumer magazine Que Choisir has rated Domaine Dupont Cidre Bouché as one of very best choices in the cider category:
Cidre Bouché : 15.3 / 20 - 2 stars
Refreshing and aromatic, round, this modern cider achieves a beautiful symbiosis, while keeping its originality with hints of liquorice and honey, and a controlled bitterness.
Imbibe Magazine - Summer 2018
Six months' ageing in Calvados casks creates an extraordinary nose that's full of barnyard funk, apple and citrus, with a palate that's beguilingly delicate.
La Revue du Vin de France - May 2017
Tasting comments by Alexandre Vingtier in "Their last personal purchase" :
Cidre Reserve 2015:
This cider is a judicious blend of bittersweet and acid apples manually sorted, fermented with indigenous yeasts, matured in calvados casks and is unpasteurized. Fine bubbles, spicy and fruity on apple, pear, citrus and pineapple: a gourmet cider ideal as an aperitif.
Wine Enthusiast - December 2016
"An Apple Brandy a Day Keeps the Winter Blues Away"
Calvados tasting notes by Kara Newman
Calvados Vieille Reserve: 94 pts
This golden brandy is scented with rich vanilla and honey, plus a surprising herbaceous lilt. The bold flavor has a savory, almost meaty note at first sip, but finishes with more delicate freshness, fading into honey, white flowers and vanilla. This complex, distinctive sipper is worth getting to know.
2016 Challenge to the Best Wines and spirits for Asia
This contest is organised in Hong Kong with a 100% Asian jury, chaired by Mr Nelson Chow, president of the Hong Kong and China Sommeliers Association.
Domaine Dupont has been awarded twice:
Calvados 15 years ...... Silver medal ..... Award
Cidre Reserve 2013 .... Gold medal ...... Award
The Daily Telegraph - Decembre 2015 - Christmas selection
"This small package contains a glorious, finessed Calvados. I always forget how much I love the smell of baked apples and brandy until a bottle like this is opened. Pure pleasure. Put under the tree for yourself and drink on Christmas Eve."
The New York Times - October 2014
"In Normandy, Young Ambition Stirs a Traditional Brandy"
Jason Wilson of The New York Times has visited Normandy to meet the new generation of Calvados producers, "a serious group of younger producers, who have banded together under the name Esprit Calvados". Domaine Dupont is one of them... Read the article...
Food and Drink Magazine - LCBO - Ontario, Canada
In its Holiday 2013 issue, the LCBO Food and Drink magazine has a feature on French Brandy. The magazine has selected a Domaine Dupont Calvados to illustrate the article.
"Domaine Dupont VSOP Pays d'Auge Calvados is double distilled and aged for a minimum of four years. Intense and complex, it has aromas of apple, citrus and vanilla that become more pronounced if you add a drop or two of water to each glass."
2013 Asia Beer Awards
This contest was held during the Singapore Beerfest Asia 2013. This is an award given for the best beer or cider produce you can find in Singapore.
Domaine Dupont has been awarded with Gold in the Cider Category :
Cidre Bouché ...... Gold ..... Award logo
Sommeliers International Magazine - Winter 2012
Prestige Tasting of Spirits, Bordeaux november 2012. Several sommeliers, under the guidance of World's Best Sommelier Philippe Faure-Brac, have selected two Calvados from Domaine Dupont:
Visual aspect: beautiful gold colour, gleaming old gold hue. Nose: complex, very fine, elegant, subtle. Beautiful typicity. Delicious nose. Fresh ceps, white-fleshed fruits, peach, mango, fresh Granny Smith. Palate: beautiful typicity. Exceptional fineness. Melted and very long palate. The apple is delicate, melted and swirls delicately. Gourmet pairing: roasted lobster on a bed of roasted and singed shallots. Comments: the Rolls of Calvados. A delicacy.
Visual aspect: golden gleaming, deep. Nose: roasted apples, fig, cinnamon. Palate: dense fruitiness, melted palate; natural, classy, fine. Beautiful persistency. Gourmet pairing: crayfish with angelica and vanilla. Comments: a Calvados that is pleasantly concentrated.
2012 Challenge to the Best French Wine and Spirit for Asia
This contest is organised in Hong Kong with a 100% Asian jury, chaired by Mr Nelson Chow, president of the Hong Kong Sommeliers Association.
Domaine Dupont has been awarded four times:
Givre ........................... Gold medal ..... Award logo
Calvados Hors d'Age ... Silver medal ..... Award logo
Calvados 30 years .... Silver medal ..... Award logo
Cidre Reserve ............. Bronze medal .. Award logo
Le Point - 22th march 2012
In an article titled Outstanding Calvados, the french weekly Le Point presents 8 top-range Calvados. They have chosen to illustrate the article with a Domaine Dupont photograph and the "+30 years unredured" ranks second.
Calvados 30 yrs unreduced : 17.5 /20
"Powerful on the nose, elegant, rich, candied apple, floral notes, soft spices, round and full-flavoured on the palate, milk caramel, great finesse, very persistent cigar box."
Australian Cider Awards 2011
Finishing 1st and 2nd in the "Bottle Conditioned / Methode Champenoise Cider" category, Domaine Dupont has been awarded with two silver awards:
Cidre Bouché: Best in Class and Silver Award (1st place)
Cidre Reserve: Silver Award (2nd place)
Serious Eats - web magazine - October 2011
Tips for Pairing Fish and Cider: In this article, Chris Lehault does have many interesting ideas, such as pairing cider with sushi:
"While wasabi lovers will prefer an extra dry, sparkling cider to cut the heat, French cider—such as our beloved Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouché Brut de Normandie—works wonders with everything from tobiko to tuna rolls. The slight sweetness and earthy character will enhance umami."
Norwegian TV - July 2011
A nice presentation of Domaine Dupont on Norwegian TV, hosted by John Kaare Hoversholm, directed by Finn-Erik Rognan (aired 7th july 2011)
National Geographic Traveler - Alan Richman - March 2011
"Upon arriving (at Domaine Dupont) I’m invited to taste an impressive range of Calvados. The oldest dates to 1969. I particularly admire those aged about 20 years: The perfume of apples remains profound. Very old Calvados, while sublime, tends to taste the same as brandies made from grapes. I also sample the 2009 Cidre Bouché - fizzy cider - which I declare the best I’ve had in Normandy, exquisitely complex, earthy, and deep, with a hint of goût de terroir, like that found in a fine red Burgundy."
Read the article "A Normandy Invasion"
Eric Asimov - New York Times - Dining and Wine - Nov. 17, 2010
In his article on ciders from all countries, famous wine critic Eric Asimov puts Domaine Dupont on the top of the list:
"First among my favourites is the Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouché, which I've been buying for years. Like many of the top ciders, this comes in a wine-size bottle, topped with a cork. The Dupont is always vintage dated, and the ciders clearly differ from year to year. The 2009, which is currently on shelves, is not as intense as some previous years, but it is dry and deliciously pure, with maybe a hint of caramel to it."
Read the whole article
Revue du Vin de France - France - December 2010
"A Calvados that is both powerful and fresh. A feast of aromas"
"Etienne Dupont has learned how to distil in Cognac. He prefers a rapid “coulage” to a rapid distillation, to keep the eau-de-vie lively and fresh. The 1977 is the perfect illustration of this especially considering that it aged in large casks which only just gave the faintest hint of wood to the distillate. This Calvados is a rarity in that it is neither diluted nor filtered, which is why it gives sensations of power and vigour. It combines with buttered apple citrus flavours and spice. When aerated the mouth reminds one of pastries. As for the empty glass, it’s a feast of aromas."
Jason Wilson - Washington Post - Oct. 15, 2008
In his article on apple brandy and Calvados "Falling for the taste of apple in a glass", Jason Wilson talks about Domaine Dupont in these terms:
"My favorite affordable Calvados is probably Domaine Dupont Calvados Fine Reserve, aged a minimum of three years, with an irresistibly freash aroma, an intense apple taste and a buttery finish."
Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal - U.S.A. - March 2008
Calvados Fine Reserve : * * * * Highly recommended 4/5
"Old sauternes / yellow-gold color; sediment-free clarity. Smells first of marginaly sour apple and is light, pleasing tart, and slightly spiced; the sour apple turns a bit riper following further air contact and becomes more like apple strudel / apple pastry than fresh apples; a good bouquet. Palate entry is smooth, sweet/sour, astringent and keenly apple like; midpalate highlight the apple peel nearly as much as the apple pulp and is now gently sweet. Composed, slightly sweet, and delicate in the finish. A very charming and evolve Fine Calvados that is contstantly growing and expanding with time. Genuinely lovely."
Calvados Reserve : * * * * * Highest recommendation 5/5
"Amber/ burnished gold / maize color; excellent purity. Offers moderately toasted / baked aromas of baked apple, lemon peel, and oak resins; top-drawer notes of apple butter and apple sauce dominate the second stage of sniffing which aromatically carries the essence of aple from start to finish. Palate entry is delightfuly spiced (vanilla, nutmeg) like spiced apple fresh out of the oven; midpalate showcases the baked spiced apple theme to the max, making the taste profile zesty, ripe, fruity / citrusy, and pastry-like. Finshes with an added dash of spice and oiliness (buttery-type oil). Luscious, period."
Eric Asimov - New York Times - The Pour - December 2008
In an article on wine pairing with indian food, the chief wine critic Eric Asimov describes Domaine Dupont Cidre Bouché as his favorite cider...
"It was one of my favorite ciders, a 2007 Brut de Normandie Cidre Bouché from Etienne Dupont, a great producer from Calvados country who sells his unfiltered, unpasteurized ciders in cork-topped 750-milliliter bottles, which are generally under $10. The cider had just a touch of welcome funk to it, a bit of a wet wool aroma that I felt contributed complexity, and while the cider tasted dry because it was so well balanced, it also had a bit of apple-like sweetness to it — a kabinett cider! I thought with its combination of kabinett sweetness and Champagne bubbles, it went perfectly with the Indian food. And only 5.5 percent alcohol."
Revue du Vin de France - France - July-August 2009
In the article on ciders and perries by Raoul Salama, the Domaine Dupont came first with an overall mark of 19/20 for the Estate.
"A whole range of exceptional ciders. Cambremer is the pantheon of cider from the Pays d’Auge." ... See the whole page (French)
Givre is also mentioned in the section on Canadian ice ciders as being the only blend of this type in France.
Weekly Volcano - U.S.A. (WA) - May 2008
"The first cider sampled was the Cidre Organic Etienne Dupont. Organic and unfiltered, it reminded me of Belgium ale with its earthy, tart flavors. The nose is powerful and complex with a nice balance between bitterness and acidity. This could go with many other dishes besides Indian food. "
"The next bottle is decidedly different. The Cidre Bouché seems to have a little more carbonation and definitely less yeast. Consider this a “user friendly” cider if you get my drift, with a little more acid and a cleaner finish. Both of these ciders are about four percent alcohol, so one or two at lunch won’t kill you. Again, this one could pair with many food items, but now I am going for dessert with a warm slice of apple pie and melted cheddar cheese."
"My taste buds really perked up with the next cider, their Cidre Reserve. After fermentation, this cider is transferred into barrels containing Calvados that have just been emptied. It will slowly continue fermenting and maturing for six months. This process gives the cider much more complexity and a touch more alcohol, bringing it to 7.5 percent. I’ll just drink this by itself, thank you."
"Now for my favorite: the Cider Cuvee Colette. This cider is put through a secondary fermentation, like Champagne called Méthode Champenoise. I won’t go into this right now, but if you like sparking wine, you will most likely enjoy this cider. It is clean and crisp, with a little more acid than I expected. Delicate and fresh, it would be excellent compliment to a soft cheese such as Camembert or Pierre Robert."
Le Point - France - November 2009.
Calvados Reserve: "Apple, very tasty in the mouth, fresh, harmonious, spicy with white pepper, tonic." Marked: 15.5/20 (best mark for Calvados of this age).
Au fil de la Normandie - France - June 2009
In its special issue on Normandy ciders, the magazine consecrated a double page spread to the Domaine Dupont and commented on two blends:
Cidre Reserve : "Strong in alcohol, powerful and refined, its powerful flavours heightened by being barrel aged will be a marvel with white meat, such as a veal blanquette, and also with a Normandy raw milk cheese."
Givre : "Rare, this ice cider delights all the senses, the eyes with its amber colour, the nose with its aromas of salt butter toffee, and the taste buds with its sweetness and aromas of Tart Tatin."
See extracts from the article (French)
Revue du Vin de France - France - Martine Nouet - May 2007
"Etienne Dupont has been able to give a unique character to his Calvados: power allied with an astonishing freshness."
Calvados Reserve 45% : "Right from the beginning, the nose shows fresh hints of green apples, angelica and mint. In the mouth, the balance is perfect. A delight served with a creamy Camembert."
Calvados 1977 45% : "Distilled in a small alembic, aged in 1200 litre (264 imperial gallon) casks, this Calvados has kept an astonishing vigour. Neither diluted nor cold filtered, it gives off out hints of crystallised fruits (citrus and quince) with an explosion of spices in the mouth. Complex, it has hints reminiscent of pastries. Splendid."
Calvados 1969 41% : "The nose confirms its age with definite signs of “rancio”: undergrowth (moss, mushroom and humus), animal hints: “sweaty saddle” and game. The mouth is powerful and fresh. In the finish, licorice and hints of toast (and a hint of pain d’épices in the emptied glass. This truly is a great eau-de-vie."
Cuisine Actuelle - France - march 2007
The Cider Cuvee Colette 2004 was chosen "Drink of the Month" by the magazine:
"This dry cider is well worth discovering, with its fine firm mousse: Cuvée Colette has aromas of sharp green apples and citrus fruits. Wonderful with prawns, “Normandy style” veal chops, apple with black pudding Tatin or a delicate cheese."
Dagbladet - Marianne Johnsen - Norway - march 16, 2007
Cidre Bouché : "Its colour is gold and amber. Aromas of sweet apples and exceptional freshness. This is a very good alternative to wine. It contains little alcohol, only 5%. This cider has quite a fine structure with a slight suggestion of bitterness. It would be an excellent companion to a poultry liver terrine, or as an aperitif."
Hotell Magasinett - Norway - May 2007
Cidre Reserve 2004 : "An elegant cider, mature (because it is aged in Calvados barrels) with dominant aromas of apple together with hints of lemon and orange. In the mouth, the attack shows flavours of apples, orange, licorice and hints of vanilla. This cider has acquired a fine structure thanks to its sojourn in barrels, and can be served at table. Serve with foie gras and apple chutney."
Drinks Magazin - Germany - June 2008
In its article “A journey to the heart of Calvados”, the German magazine “Drinks” awards the Domaine Dupont an important amount of space.
