來自法國諾曼第的蘋果白蘭地 <微醺歡慶版蘋果西打>

如果你吃火鍋、熱炒喜歡來罐蘋果西打，一定不能錯過比西打有更濃郁蘋果味的白蘭地！如果你喜愛自然酒，怕是找不到比來自法國諾曼第半島的蘋果干邑更 ”自然” 的烈酒！根據法規 Calvados 不得添加糖、酵母和二氧化硫，果汁完全天然發酵。
Calvados Pays d’Auge是位於諾曼第中心的產區，富含石灰岩、黏土的土壤結構與布根地十分相似，提供蘋果緩慢成熟的天然環境，使用和法國著名白蘭地干邑產區相同的雙銅壺蒸餾工法，再以法國橡木桶陳年。各家酒廠有自己獨特品系的蘋果園，利用不同酸度與苦、甜度的蘋果品系組合，搭配蒸餾過程中不同溫度梯度對風味分子的選擇性，以及不同容積、新舊橡木桶不同程度的陳年，調和出自家特有的風格。從充滿濃厚鮮切頻果、柑橘香的V.S.O.P.，乃至展現香草、香料、花香、蜂蜜、焦糖、胡桃與蘋果乾、蜜餞等不同層次，餘韻悠長且乙醇口感更溫潤的X.O. 陳年酒款，都能在不同場合，帶給你不平凡的味覺饗宴。

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I stumbled upon a chance to taste fascinating Calvados in Prowine. Barbara, Export Sales Manager from Spirit France Diffusion, introduced her charming spirits in fluent English with an exotic French accent and unforgettably warm hospitality. Père Magloire Mémoire X.O was a memorable start with deep amber in colour, showing clear vanilla and spices influenced from new oak and balanced well with the concentrated sour apple, apricot from the raw materials and the creamy notes from malolactic conversion. The developed caramel and milk chocolate also exhibited the complexity from slow oxidation in oak maturation for years. The smooth alcohol and texture indicated high quality apples, fine-tuned cut points in distillation, and integrated flavour profiles and alcohol via long ageing. The lingering aftertastes of vanilla, sour apple, and caramel further conveyed the high quality of the spirit.

Calvados Pays d’Auge is a different genre. The fruits must come from the specific appellation in the center of Normandy, where soils mixed with clay, limestone, and chalk create a slow ripening environment. Thus, apples can develop rich flavour profiles. Only pot stills (the Charentais still as in Cognac) are allowed here so that the styles of Calvados are rich in aromatic complexity with full body. Lecompte 12 years and 25 years both had smoothly integrated alcohol with less overt expression of oaky influence (hints of vanilla), sour apple, candied fruits, prune, herbal, cream, and ageing aromas (caramel, honey) as well as long lasting flavours of apple, dried fruits, and caramel. In particular, Lecompte 25 years Calvados Pays d’Auge revealed delicate floral notes and lingering nutty flavours (walnut).

If you adore nature wine, Calvados is definitely your must try! One can hardly find any spirits more “nature” than Calvados, as the fermentation never involves adding sugar, artificial yeasts, and SO₂ by law.