Friardel Poiré 2018

Wine Description for Friardel Poiré 2018 by Lesuffleur

Colour & Appearance

Intense, amber-coloured gold with orange-hued reflections. The mousseux displays itself with liveliness and persistence – a visual promise of the complexity to follow.

Nose

Fascinatingly unconventional: ripe perry pear meets Gueuze beer notes, complemented by blonde tobacco, warm pear tart and a mineral coolness of crushed stone. A subtle iodine note joins in, reminiscent of chalk soils.

Palate

A revelation. The playful sweetness (at merely 4.5% alcohol) balances perfectly with restrained bitterness. Pears and pear quinces dominate, accompanied by clear perry, bitter kumquat skins and once again that Gueuze complexity. The tannin from the centuries-old tree creates a fine resistance, whilst the mousseux works like an infusion. The acidity presents itself silky rather than forceful – freshness here comes from tannin and vibrant minerality.

Finish

Persistent bitter-fruity with fine tannic grip and mineral precision. The pear fruit fades slowly, accompanied by a subtle iodine note.

Terroir & Origin

Friardel in the Calvados region, Normandy. The subsoil of chalk, clay and flint, above it silt and blue flint – a terroir that lends this poiré its mineral signature.

Grape Variety & Vinification

The fruit of a single, over 200-year-old pear tree of unknown variety. Hand-harvested, spontaneous fermentation, then Méthode Traditionnelle (bottled March 2019, disgorged December 2021). Nearly three years on the lees have imparted extraordinary depth and finesse to this poiré.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Poultry terrine with Roquefort and pear, poussin with porcini tortellini and sage butter, golden beetroot quiche with pine nuts and Roquefort. The combination of fruit, tannin and acidity harmonises perfectly with blue cheese and delicate poultry.

Special Features

A monument to Norman poiré culture: the fruit of a single tree that witnessed the French Revolution. Lesuffleur demonstrates that traditional pear sparkling wines can rival great Champagnes in terms of complexity and elegance.