Claque-Pépin
History
The name Claque-Pépin comes from a type of apple variety, which when ripe, rattles when shaken. The name translates to the seeds (pepin) which rattle (claque). The property is located in the Normandie region, nestled between the Domfrontais and the Pay d'Auge, in the 17th century farm next to the ancient chateau of Serans, formerly the family estate of the Louvet family.
Claque-Pépin officially began in 2005. However, current owner Benoît Louvet has been immersed in the world of distilling and ageing for many years. He began his "apprenticeship" fairly young with his grandfather Vital. After working for a few other Calvados producers as cellar master, he decided to start his own artisanal production and perpetuate the art of making calvados, cider, and local Normand apéritifs, while respecting the Normand tradition and the environment.
Production
Appellation:
The property and orchards are ideally situated in the Calvados AOC, just in between Pays d’Auge and the Domfrontais, producing cider and Calvados with the round and refined flavors of Calvados of the Pays d’Auge and the spicier notes typical of Calvados of the Domfrontais.
Benoît Louvet grows apples and pears but also buys from a few growers around, especially in the Domfrontais, an area he loves. After he makes his cider, an itinerant distiller comes to the farm to distill Benoît’s ciders to his specifications.
Claque-Pépin Pommeau de Normandie
Highlights
The Claque-Pépin Pommeau de Normandie is a blend of approximately 1/4 Calvados and 3/4 apple juice and aged for minimum of fourteen months. With an ABV of 17% it is closely related to the Pineau des Charentes and serves as a wonderful apéritif.
Pommeau is generally consumed as an apéritif, or as an accompaniment to melon or blue cheese. It is also popular with a variety of desserts, including any chocolate or apple-based dishes.
Reviews
94 points! Great Value
This luscious, incredibly complex aperitif is bursting with notes of dates, raisins roasted walnuts and iodine. The palate is viscous but not syrupy, with flavors of poached pear, burned sugar and sweet spice. The finish lasts for minutes after the sip.
Press
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2 Must Mix Classic Cocktails made with Calvados
In the world of brandies, an underdog is slowly stealing the show. Its name is Calvados.
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![Picture of a brown cocktail in a coupe glass with apple slice garnish]()
10 Apple-Based Spirits to Try this Season
Claque-Pepin Vieille Reserve Organic Calvados; 97 points.
Hitting all the right notes, this shows fresh apple and vanilla aromas that lead into rich butterscotch and honey palate. The feather-light finish shows salted caramel, roasted nuts, and a flurry of cinnamon and clove.
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![Pale yellow cocktail in a fancy crystal glass with orange peel garnish on a bamboo cocktail pick]()
2 Must Try French Cocktails For Bastille Day By Bartender Rory Caviness
Nectar d’Or with Rétha Oceanic Gin, Lillet Blanc, Claque-Pépin Organic Vieille Réserve Calvados, and Luxardo Maraschino
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![Three men stand in a vineyard in France, two dark-haired sons on either side of white-haired father]()
Small French Distilleries Lead the Way in Organic Spirits
Organically produced spirits such as cognac, whiskey, and calvados were practically unheard of a few years ago. But that is all changing with small, French-owned craft distilleries playing a big role in this healthy transition.
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![A collections of liquor bottles on a grey background]()
5 New Brandies to Try Now
From two Armagnacs to an Armenian release.
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![Brown and white cows in an apple orchard]()
Calvados: The Apple Of A Brandy Drinker’s Eye
There are no wine appellations in Normandy. Grapes, revered elsewhere in France, are an afterthought in this region that stretches out into the English Channel on France’s northwest coast, about a two hour drive from Paris. The climate is just too unpredictable — hot and sunny one moment, rainy and windy the next. Forget about grapes in Normandy. Here, the apple is king.
