This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
Alcohol consumption is decreasing, with more marked moderation among young people, according to the British institute IWRS. A 2023 study in ten markets, including Canada, reveals that 67% of millennials and 49% of Generation X are reducing their consumption, compared to 43% of boomers. Motivated by health concerns, many are turning to ready-to-drink products. However, these low-alcohol drinks often contain artificial ingredients and lots of sugar, and are produced by large foreign companies. Ciders and piquette created by Quebec artisans who adopt virtuous practices offer excellent options.
Prioritize soil health
We use a lot of synthetic products in orchards to obtain visually perfect apples. However, in addition to contributing to greenhouse gases and harming worker health, chemical treatments damage soil life, leading to the destruction of beneficial organisms that are essential for soil fertility and structure. As a result, the health of agricultural ecosystems deteriorates, reducing the resilience of fruit trees to climate change.
Concerned about creating a sustainable orchard, Gabriel Choinière, of Choinière Cidres agricoles, abandoned chemicals when he took over the family estate in 2016 in Frelighsburg. It reduces the cultivated area from 70 hectares to 10 hectares to facilitate the demanding work of organic farming, plants trees to increase biodiversity and uses compost extracts to ensure soil health. After several years of conversion, the orchard is now certified organic, and the reputation of the ciders is well established.
Self-sufficiency
In addition to sharing Choinière’s organic farming practices, Vincent Dion Lavallée, executive chef and co-owner of Cabane d’à passant, from the Au pied de porc group, aims for food autonomy. Although apples are a key ingredient in many dishes, their 3-acre orchard produces more apples than the kitchen requires. Inspired by renowned chefs such as Magnus Nilsson, former chef-owner of Michelin restaurant Fäviken, Dion Lavallée and his associates transform fruit into cider.
Just like in the kitchen, the cider house at La Cabane d’à Pré is a veritable laboratory of trial and error where rigor and creativity meet. While we often celebrate the great figures of international catering who apply the concept of self-sufficiency, Quebec is just as much a part of this elite and the Au Pied de Cochon group offers an edifying model.
Economic sustainability
The financial aspect is also essential to ensure the sustainability of an ecosystem. Faced with considerable investments in making wine and climatic hazards, which lead to more and more crop losses, several producers are diversifying their portfolio by adding cider and piquette to their offering. This makes it possible to compensate for the loss of production and quickly generate income.
The four owners of Lieux communes were inspired by winemakers in other regions who create co-fermented drinks based on fruits and herbs when they launched their project. They wish to be part of a movement focused on the circular economy, modernity and the art of living, while using the income from the sale of their piquette and their ready-to-drink products to plant vines and produce wine. wine. Thanks to their efforts, they managed to market their first bottles of wine in 2019.
Ciders and piquette from here are much more than just options to replace wine and strong alcohol for those who wish to moderate their consumption. These are succulent, thirst-quenching options that allow us to support, once again, the work of local farmers. In the next post, we will discover Ontario’s neighbors, who are also putting their hands to work to build a sustainable future.
Here are some Quebec delights that put apples in the spotlight to celebrate the arrival of fall.
Choinière Farm ciders Armandie Sparkling cider
Made using the traditional method, this cider is dry, lively and saline with light nuances of white flowers alongside notes of apple. The bubbles are delicate and the palate ends with lovely bitter notes that quench your thirst. Tasty with a piece of goat’s cheese my way or crottin de Chavignol. $20 — For sales locations, visit the Choinière website
Pig’s trotter Z28
Here they make a nod to orange wine by doing a 30-day skin maceration on the peels and seeds of the apples then fermenting the must in an amphora. The cider is obtained by a single fermentation, which ends in the bottle. Dry and digestible, and with lots of character; the notes of dried herbs, orange zest and red apple blend into beautiful bitterness. A natural pairing with root vegetables. $23.70 — SAQ code 15167145
Common places Pale Piquette
This piquette is obtained by using the rewetting of white Frontenac marc and Frelighsburg apple juice, followed by refermentation in a can thanks to the addition of holy basil syrup and linden honey. Unpretentious and slightly aromatic, with notes of white-fleshed fruit and red apple, this refreshing drink is ideal for festive breaks while hiking. $21.20 (4 x 355 ml) — SAQ code 15243208
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Dutyrelating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.