Kystin / Cidrerie Normandie

Apple Cider Normandy

Sacha Crommar takes his Celtic roots seriously—a gravitas he extends to his production of Pays d’Auge apple and pear ciders, crafted under his own label, Kystin. In his corner of Normandy, there are few cider producers who have mastered the region’s finest heirloom varietals quite like he does. In the tradition of Eric Bordelet and Eric Baron, Sacha believes in using a combination of sweet, sour and high-acid varietals to naturally ferment them into ciders above and beyond the norm. Using sustainably farmed fruit from 2.5 hectares (6 acres) of his own land and nearly the same surface area in purchased fruit from like-minded growers, he creates some of the most elegant styles of cider available in the United States today. Free of herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers, his apples and pears may express their purity and terroir to their full potential. Sacha produces 40,000 bottles of cider annually, divided into three cuvees: “Opalyne,” a rich and opulent dry apple cider; “Cuvée XVII,” an intriguing blend of 16 varietals of apple blended with chestnuts; and “Kalysie,” made from three varietals of pear and infused with ginger. His elegant cuvees reflect new standards in cider, meant to enjoy like fine bottles of wine.