You may be thinking that labelling a cider "Premier Cru" is, well, a bit wanky. And I’d have to agree with you. However, Aspall Premier Cru Suffolk Cyder made me reconsider. A bone dry feast of light appley loveliness in a distinctive cone shaped bottle, it positively leapt down my neck. Honest. That's why I had to have a few. It's very much a French-style cider but, with its seven percent kick, you realize pretty soon that you're not in Normandy any more, Toto.
Aspalls are well known for their apple vinegars and juices; they know their apples and source locally. Apples they use include Kingston Black, Medaille d'or, Cox, Bramley, Yarlington Mill, Tremlett's Bitter, Blenheim Orange, Chiver's Delight, Tom Putt, and Discovery. Temperature controlled fermentation keeps the blend soft and dry as a summer day and sparkling as, erm, a good champagne. OK, I get it now. Premier Cru it is.