KALDER HOUSE - Alexandre Sidorenko

In the orchards

Maison Kalder is an 11-hectare estate composed exclusively of high-stem orchards, known as open-field orchards. There are approximately 1,000 trees, including 700 apple trees and 300 pear trees, planted at a wide spacing of between 10 and 12 meters, according to the traditional model of the Norman meadow orchard.
The trees are rooted on an east-facing schist hillside at an altitude of 200 meters. The ciders are produced under the IGP Normandie designation, while the perries fall under the AOP Domfront designation, a region historically renowned for the finesse and complexity of its perry pears. The estate is farmed organically and biodynamically. Cattle and sheep graze year-round under the trees, ensuring natural soil fertilization and a healthy balance in the orchard. Treatments are limited to biodynamic preparations (horn manure, silica), applied in the spring and autumn.
This farming method promotes biodiversity, significantly reduces disease, and decreases the need for mechanization. Here, taking the long term is not a constraint: it is a method.

The fruits

The identity of Maison Kalder is based on a demanding search for optimal maturity.
No fruit is purchased from outside: everything comes from the estate. Only second-season fruit, harvested between November and December, is used. The pears ripen naturally on the ground, in the grass, for 10 days to a month. The apples, on the other hand, are stored in pallet boxes, under cover, for 2 to 6 weeks, to refine their ripeness and aromatic expression. This patient work determines the purity of the juices, their balance, and their ability to ferment slowly, without artifice.

At the winery

The winemaking process is carried out without any additives:
– no sulfur
– no added yeast
– no gluing
– no filtration

The fruit is crushed, macerated, and then pressed using a traditional Norman vertical press, the "packet press." Extreme care is taken with hygiene and precision to ensure healthy and consistent fermentation. Fermentation is slow, and racking is carried out gently, according to the lunar calendar. This results in clearer juice with very little sediment.
Bottling takes place in the spring, by gravity. The desired style is decidedly vinous: ciders and perries with substance, carried by a fine bubble, evoking the world of natural sparkling wines, or even certain champagnes in their tension and precision.

The author

Maison Kalder is the result of the encounter between a passionate oenologist and a unique terroir.
Established in 2021, Alexandre Sidorenko took over this estate located in the far north of the Mayenne region, with the ambition of producing expressive, precise, and easy-to-digest ciders and perries. In 2023, he was joined by Judith J. Sciarone. Together, they refine their practices, become more rigorous, and continue to unlock the potential of this exceptional orchard.

Alexandre Sidorenko Le Breil, 53110 Sainte-Marie-du-Bois.