Vintage Character From the historic Calvados AOC, the 1996 Michel Huard Calvados Millésime represents a stunning expression of traditional Normandy apple distillation. A balanced growing season in 1996 yielded cider apples with superb acidity and concentrated sugars, resulting in a spirit of remarkable depth and cellaring potential. The orchards thrive in the deep clay and loam soils of Suisse Normande, a unique terroir that imparts a distinctive mineral undercurrent and structural complexity to the fruit.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing Complex aromas of baked apple, caramelized pear, and sweet tobacco lead into a rich, medium-to-full-bodied palate accented by cinnamon, clove, and toasted oak. The texture is velvety and seamless, culminating in a long, warming finish of dried autumn leaves and leather. Pair this vintage Calvados with roasted pork belly with apple compote or a classic Normandy tarte Tatin.
Winery Background Founded in the 1950s by Michel Huard and managed by his grandson Jean-François Guillouet-Huard, the domain preserves ancestral spirits-making traditions. They cultivate nearly 30 varieties of cider apples, distilling the cider just once in a traditional mobile column still to retain maximum fruit character before aging the spirit in seasoned oak casks. This meticulous, small-batch approach makes Michel Huard a benchmark producer for artisanal, single-vintage Calvados.