Eric Bordelet Pomme Perlant / NV / 330mL

Description:

Eric Bordelet Pomme Perlant NV is a gently sparkling apple drink from Normandy, made from a blend of heirloom apple varieties grown in the producer's certified organic orchards. Pure, perfumed and lightly frothy rather than fizzy, it comes in a 330mL bottle built for one person and one sitting.

The aroma is all orchard fruit: crushed russet apple, apple blossom, a little quince and a faint biscuity note underneath. On the palate the fruit is bright and sweetly juicy, with the soft bead lifting it rather than scrubbing it clean.

Texture is where the small format earns its keep — poured straight from the fridge into a tumbler, Pomme Perlant holds its delicate perlage far better than a large bottle would once opened, since a half-size bottle loses freshness and carbonation quickly. Fine apple-skin grip carries through a tidy, tangy finish that stays refreshing rather than cloying.

Serve it well chilled with a cheese board, especially washed-rind and aged Comté-style cheeses, or alongside roast pork, pâté, salted crêpes and buttery pastries. It also works as a lunchtime or afternoon pour for anyone who wants something bright and adult without a full bottle, and a single 330mL is easy to slip into a picnic basket or share across two small glasses.

Drink now, while the aromatics and the bead are at their liveliest.