The Calvados Pays d'Auge Controlled Designation of Origin

From a geographical and geological point of view, the Pays d'Auge is a very homogeneous territory. The satellite view shows a green patch that stands out very distinctly from its surroundings: to the west, the cereal lands of the plains of Caen, Falaise, and Alençon appear in a light patch, to the east, the Lieuvin plateau where the density of vegetation (grass and woods) decreases in a lighter patch. The landscapes are sculpted by two rivers and their tributaries: the Dive and the Touque. Four natural entities can be distinguished in the Pays d'Auge: the coast, the marshes, the woods, and the bocage. The bocage presents a relief strongly cut by erosion, a succession of hills and valleys that give it all its charm. It is divided into small plots. Those intended for grazing cows under the apple trees are enclosed by hedges. Horse breeding, particularly that of racehorses, is developing rapidly there. In recent decades, the proliferation of stud farms has altered the landscape by increasing the number of treeless plots enclosed by wooden or cement rails. The soils are mainly composed of flint clay with a silty surface. The heavy, cold soils are favorable to grassland and apple growing, as is the mild, humid climate, which is not immune to global warming and its consequences.

In 1942, only Calvados from the Pays d'Auge was granted AOC status. To be recognized as an AOC, the product had to possess distinctive and specific characteristics and enjoy a particular reputation. The matter was urgent and left no time for in-depth investigations. For centuries, the Pays d'Auge, with its cream, butter, Camembert, Livarot, and Pont-L'Evêque cheeses, cider, and Calvados, had enjoyed a certain reputation. One owner-operator, André du Boullay, regretted that there was no organization capable of defending Camembert and Calvados, which were in the public domain. In 1922, he decided to devote himself to defending farmers and bringing them together in a union. Founded in 1926, the "Syndicat de la Marque d'Origine Pays d'Auge" (Syndicate of the Pays d'Auge Brand of Origin) was intended to guarantee the origin of great products from the Auge region. In conjunction with a few other professionals, the union claimed the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (Controlled Designation of Origin) for Calvados produced in the Pays d'Auge region. To delineate the Pays d'Auge terroir, the union called upon a geographer, Marcel Reinhard. The 1942 decree would repeat this delimitation while slightly expanding its boundaries.

The Pays d'Auge appellation is now regulated by the 2015 decree. The production and harvesting of fruit, the development and distillation of cider and perry, as well as the aging process must be carried out within the geographical area defined in the decree. An annex to the decree lists the municipalities constituting the geographical area. Another annex specifies the authorized cider fruit varieties. 70% of the area must be planted with bitter and bittersweet varieties. The constraints relating to the management of high-stem and low-stem orchards and the yields per hectare are specified. The fruit used per production site must come for at least 45% of the area from high-stem orchards. The ciders to be distilled are made from a maximum of 30% perry pears. Distillation is carried out in pot stills with a maximum capacity of 25 hectoliters. Let us recall that the first distillation consists of boiling cider with an alcohol content of approximately 6% to obtain the "petite eau" with an alcohol content of 28 to 30%. The second distillation or bonne chauffe is that of the petites eaux. It produces calvados, which must have an alcohol content of no more than 72%. The first distilled products, the "heads," as well as the last, the "tails," are discarded to preserve only the heart. To benefit from the appellation, the eau de vie must spend at least 24 months in sessile or pedunculate oak barrels. The capacity of the barrel is also regulated.

The specificity of the product is described very briefly in the decree: "on the nose and in the mouth it develops aromatic notes reminiscent of the fruits from which it is made. During aging, spicy notes frequently appear." This description can be applied to the other two appellations. What, in my opinion, distinguishes Calvados Pays d'Auge is the smoothness of its apple aromas, the fullness, roundness, and fatness of the mouth and, after prolonged aging, the balance, mellowness, richness, and extreme complexity of its aromas and flavors. Pays d'Auge is quiet strength. An eau-de-vie that reflects the region with its soft cheeses, its cuisine with cream and butter, a territory whose gentle landscapes and the discreet class of its half-timbered buildings are loved.