Trois Pépins, Cidrerie du Vulcain, J. Perritaz - 2024

When I decided to venture into the world of ciders at the beginning of my time at Astor, I had no clue where to start. I didn't want something too viscous, too cloyingly sweet. I also wanted something to pair with the orange chicken I was thinking about all day from my local Chinese restaurant. Then Jacques Perritaz stepped into my life. This Swiss cider, made from indigenous apples, pears, and quince, is named after the local vulcain, the red admiral butterfly which feasts on the fallen apples. Made with local yeasts and partial fermentation in steel tanks, this cider is made with the methode ancestrale, or bottle fermentation. It shows delicious floral notes of jasmine and honeysuckle with savory saline and a dry, crisp finish perfect with orange chicken and jasmine rice. I skipped the broccoli...