Roger Groult Autrement Pomme Apéritif 26% 700ml

The Groult family's Clos de la Hurvanière in St-Cyr-du-Ronceray, on the heights of the Pays d'Auge, has been in family hands since the 18th century. Pierre Groult (1830–1918) began distilling his estate-grown cider in 1860, founding what is now Calvados Roger Groult, and winning the family's first gold medal in 1893. His son Léon (1874–1923) developed the operation by planting additional orchards, building a second ageing cellar, and installing two of the three pot stills the house still uses today. Léon's son Roger (1905–1988) gave his name to the house and led further expansion through the mid-twentieth century.

Roger's son Jean-Pierre (1946–2008) extended the distribution across France and pioneered the family's first exports. The fifth generation — Estelle, Charlotte and Jean-Roger Groult — now manage the estate. The house works solely in the Pays d'Auge AOC, the strictest Calvados sub-appellation, requiring double distillation in pot stills (rather than the column distillation permitted in broader Calvados). The range covers the age tiers from 3 to 18 years, plus a Réserve Ancestrale — extracted from the very oldest cellar stocks. The pot-still production model and the multi-generation orchard provenance both contribute to a recognised house style of structured, mid-weight Pays d'Auge Calvados.

Aperitif served chilled (8–10 °C); pairs with foie gras, blue cheese, apple desserts.