Cider in Québec has had a tough run. After Canada’s short stint with prohibition, wine, beer and even spirits were allowed back into production, but cider—a beverage that was flourishing in 19th and 20th century Québec—was missed in the inclusion, a mistake that would remain an oversight until the 1980s. Cider then attempted a boom to abysmal failure, flopping as mass-produced, apple pop-style beverages discredited the drink that once helped build the province.
One of the first to reinvigorate cider with the right means—as in his third generation family orchard—Michel Jodoin began making cider when everyone else did, but continued to push quality forward. Today, Jodoin and his namesake cidery make highly acclaimed traditional method sparkling and still ciders, crackling (force carbonation) and ice ciders, plus spirits and sweet juice. Best known for his work with red-fleshed apples, Jodoin’s production embraces the Geneva Crabapple, a tart and tangy apple with pink-hued insides.
In the Cidre Lèger Rosé, Geneva is blended with Québec mainstay McIntosh and captured into a lean, Bordeaux-style bottle for a nod to Provençal pink wines. Reminiscent of those wines, the nose has aromas of wildflower honey and apple blossom with a classic smack of juicy McIntosh sweet red fruit that transfers to the palate with an off-dry, crisp finish. This is food cider at its finest—and pinkest—match with a bright salad or charcuterie.
