Robert Bell's
Wines of Canada
Since 1992
Neige Ice Cider
Perhaps you have hear of a winery named La Face Cachée de la Pomme located in - Hemmingford, Quebec. It was originally founded by by François Pouliot in 1994. The cidery’s flagship product, Neige Ice Cider, became the first cider officially recognized as “ice cider” and helped define the category. Pouliot was inspired by Christian Bartomeuf the inventer of Ice Cider.*
In recent years, La Face Cachée de la Pomme rebranded as Domaine Neige, aligning the company’s identity with its most iconic product, Neige. "Neige means snow in English.
To make ice cider apples are harvested in late fall and the juice is frozen outdoors in the Québec winter. This natural freezing process—called cryo-concentration—separates water from sugars, intensifying flavor. The concentrated juice is then fermented slowly over 6–7 months
Their Neige Première and Récolte d’hiver vintages have won numerous international accolades, including “Best Ice Cider in the World” at the International Cider Challenge in England.
Today Neige Ice Cider is owned by Pomdial founded in October 2010 by Bertrand Deltour and David Gare, Pomdial's journey began with the purchase of a small, family-run apple farm in Rougemont, Quebec. This business, Vinaigrerie Gingras, had a market stall, onsite store, 800 apple trees, and 200,000 liters of apple cider vinegar aging in French oak casks.
Domaine Pinnacle is also owned by Pomdial.
*In 2018, Pomdial completed the acquisition of the assets of CidreCo Inc., which included the ice cider brands Neige and Domaine Pinnacle. Pomdial is now recognized as the world leader in premium ice cider, managing both of these iconic Québec brand
Regulations for Ice Cider
The apples must be pressed between December 1 and March 1 inclusive. Two methods may be used to achieve the cold concentration of sugars: cryoconcentration and cryoextraction. Cryoconcentration designates a process of concentrating sugars in the juice of apples harvested during the autumn and kept in cold conditions until pressing. Cryoextraction designates a process of concentrating sugars in the whole fruit. The first process involves the use of whole apples that have been allowed to freeze naturally after picking in the autumn and are then pressed, while the second involves the use of apples that have been allowed to freeze on the tree, picked frozen and then pressed. For Cidre de glace du Québec that uses the second method, only apples that have remained on the tree until at least December 1 and picked after that date may be used.
Apples must be harvested when natural freezing occurs, typically at temperatures of −8°C to −15°C (17.6°F to 5°F). Québec law mandates that ice cider must be made using natural cold only—artificial freezing is not allowed.
Residual sugar (at least 140 grams per litre) and alcoholic strength (minimum 9% and maximum 13% by volume) are solely the result of the apple’s natural sugars. Cidre de glace du Québec contains no added natural or artificial colourings or flavourings. Cidre de glace du Québec may be still or sparkling (traditional method or Charmat process).
Before being granted permission to use the designation, a product must be evaluated by a tasting panel using criteria set out in the specifications manual of the designation.
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Wines of Canada was developed and designed by Robert (Bob) Bell of Whi make or sell wine. Support is welcome as are suggestions and comments; should you see something that needs to be corrected please let us know.