Cellar Profile
Galipette Cidre is an artisanal, award-winning, premium French cidery crafting traditional ciders in Normandy and Brittany using 100% pure apple juice (pur jus). The brand was developed in collaboration with France’s oldest apple-growing cooperative, made up of 400 growers sourcing over 200 different local varieties all grown within a 100 km radius of the coast. Galipette ciders are only made once per year – they are vintage products – from 100% fermented apple juice, never from concentrate. Centuries-old methods (like "keeving" to naturally slow fermentation and retain the fruit's authentic character and sweetness) are used to produce crisp, naturally gluten-free ciders with no added sugar or concentrates.
Region
Brittany (Bretagne) is a large peninsula in the extreme northwest of France that extends west into the Atlantic and is bordered by the English Channel to the north and the Bay of Biscay to the south. This remote, rugged region is also a historic cider powerhouse, accounting for roughly 40% of France's total cider production. Mild temperatures and frequent rainfall make this terroir ideal for the cultivation of apples and there are more than 600 indigenous cider varieties that have been adapted specifically to Breton soils. Family-run farms have been tending to these coastal orchards swept by Atlantic gales for over one thousand years.
Vineyard
These family-run orchards are located along the Rance River in the Côtes-d’Armor region of northern Brittany. Situated near the rugged Atlantic coast, the climate here is Maritime, with mild temperatures, gentle summers and regular, frequent rainfall. Coastal fog rolls over the hills and plains, providing a cool, caressing humidity that prevents the apples from scorching and helps them ripen slowly and evenly. The trees are deeply rooted in ancient, rocky schist and granite soils. This well-draining, mineral-dense earth forces the roots to dig deep, which translates into the subtle, earthy undertones and clean minerality found in the finished cider. These are old, traditional orchards managed by a close-knit cooperative of multi-generational families who have tended the same land for centuries. The growers are committed to regenerative agriculture and the orchards double as natural habitats that preserve local biodiversity.
Winemaking
This is a ‘pur jus’ cider, made from 100% pure-pressed heirloom apples, with absolutely no added water, sugar, concentrate, artificial sweeteners or colourings. Each year the cidery only bottles what they harvest. Ripe autumn apples are gently crushed with skins intact and macerated to enhance flavour and give structure and body. The pulp is pressed and clarified using a process called keeving that is as old as the orchards themselves. Following a slow, wild yeast fermentation, the Maître de Chai turns to the art of blending, or assemblage, creating the final cuvée.
Tasting Notes
Pours a brilliant, deep-gold color with vibrant, persistent carbonation that creates a frothy, lasting head. A rich, inviting nose dominated by poached apples and ripe pears, with subtle earthy undertones and faint baking spice. While labeled as a brut, it drinks surprisingly off-dry. The sweetness is beautifully balanced by a crisp acidity and a gentle, mineral finish. Natural acidity and fruit-forward flavours make this a perfect match for creamy soft cheeses (Brie or Camembert), freshly baked apple tarts or pork tenderloin.
Varieties
The cellar master combines up to 15 different traditional heirloom cider apples. These are divided into four distinct flavour profiles. Bitter Apples, such as Marie Ménard, provide body and a rich structural depth. Bittersweet Apples add earthy aromatics and necessary tannins. Kermerrien is one of the primary Bittersweet varieties in this blend. Sweet Apples deliver fruitiness, floral aromas and natural sugars for fermentation. Sharp / Acidic Apples like Judor supply the essential zesty, vibrant acidity. The master blend—called the assemblage—is what gives the cider its authentic, centuries-old French complexity without needing any artificial additives.