Normandy is a region in northern France, roughly corresponding to the historic duchy from which William the Conqueror went to England to seize the throne in 1066. It is divided into two administrative regions, Upper Normandy and Lower Normandy. The region is home to countless orchards and is known (like its neighbour Brittany) for its cider and perry, a type of cider made from pears. Many varieties of cider apples used throughout the world come from this region.
Tourists near the city of Caen can follow an official cider route of 40 kilometers by visiting the cider factories of the Pays d'Auge sub-region. There are several PDOs for cider and perry in the region. In addition, the IGP Cidre de Normandie was formalized in 2000 for cider made from apples, or a mixture of apples and pears, which must be grown in the region. Similarly, perry differs from Generic pear cider in that the drink is made from designated varieties grown in Normandy, rather than from familiar table varieties, imported Juice or Concentrate.
A variety of other apple-related products are produced in the region.
With climate change becoming an increasingly serious topic for the spirits industry to tackle, so too comes a greater level of awareness amongst consumers that brands should be doing more in relation to the environmental footprints they leave behind globally. Every element, from the cultivation of raw materials, to the composition and distribution of finished glass bottles is now under tighter scrutiny. This year’s Earth Day, a celebration of climate awareness, held on 22 April (founded back in ...
Tina Gellie, Content Manager and Regional Editor (Australia, South Africa, New Zealand & Canada) It was a big year of Decanter travel for me, heading to Napa and New York in June, South Africa in October and most recently a week each in Margaret River and South Australia. These trips have formed the basis of my festive selections. Christmas lunch on North Stradbroke Island (reunited with my family after four years, no thanks to Covid) always starts with oysters, followed by a bucket of prawn ...
Tina Gellie, Content Manager and Regional Editor (Australia, South Africa, New Zealand & Canada) It was a big year of Decanter travel for me, heading to Napa and New York in June, South Africa in October and most recently a week each in Margaret River and South Australia. These trips have formed the basis of my festive selections. Christmas lunch on North Stradbroke Island (reunited with my family after four years, no thanks to Covid) always starts with oysters, followed by a bucket of prawn ...