Lemercier Fougerolles A.O.C. Kirsch

Description :

A unique Kirsch!

Developed by Distillerie Lemercier Frères and created by distilling Fougerolles cherries (wild merise or sweet gean cherries), all originating from the Protected Designation of Origin area, the Fougerolles AOC Kirsch from Distillerie Lemercier Frères offers an extraordinary fruitiness and presence on the palate.

A few facts and figures about this Kirsch from the AOC of Fougerolles (Haute-Saône / Bourgogne region - Franche-Comté):

• An AOC in Franche-Comté, born in 2010 after a battle of over 40 years!
• A defined geographical area covering 11 municipalities between Haute-Saône and Vosges.
• More than 10,000 trees counted within the designated area.
• A potential annual production of 500 tonnes of cherries, making 35,000 liters of Fougerolles Kirsch.
• An AOC with around a hundred people involved in it: cherry producers, home distillers, harvesters, master distillers...

notedegustation :

The magazine Revue du Vin de France says:
The Lemercier Fougerolles AOC Kirsch has been rated among the 50 best fruit eaux-de-vie in France by the Revue du Vin de Francce (published Dec. 2015), which awarded it the rating of 16/20 with the following assessment: “A superb nose, intense and precise, dry and taut on the palate with a beautiful length”.

Concours Général Agricole (agricultural competition): Gold medal!

A harmonious Kirsch with a beautiful persistence of fruit and an exceptional flavor, all at 50% vol…this describes the characteristics of the product in just a few words, rated as “a truly beautiful product of fabulous quality” by the jury at the Concours Général Agricole in 2017.

This gold medal is a wonderful victory for the oldest distillery in Fougerolles, and for Alain Aureggio who has inherited this great distillery.

Information complémentaire :

Kirsch is a cherry eau-de-vie. In May 2010, after several long years of procedures, the Fougerolles Kirsch finally obtained the label of AOC: “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée”, or Protected Designation of Origin. This is the recognition of a product that is firmly rooted in the land of the Fougerolles region.

The characteristics of the terrain make it an excellent place for growing cherry trees.
The cultivation of these cherry trees and their distillation is an important activity for the area.

Fougerolles Kirsch is only the 4th eau-de-vie or brandy in France to receive the AOC label, after Cognac, Calvados and Armagnac.

The word Kirsch comes from the Alsace word “kirschwasser”, meaning “cherry water”.

The best cherries from grafted wild cherry trees are used. They are dark, sweet and have a small stone. The cherries, exclusively from Fougerolles, are picked without the stem, delivered to us quickly, sorted and checked, then placed in vats to ferment for 4 to 5 weeks. The stones, never crushed, give our Kirsch a slight almond taste which our customers love. After distillation, our Kirsch is aged for several years in glass jars in the storage cellar before being bottled.

The Lemercier Fougerolles AOC Kirsch can be drunk as a digestif, in a cocktail, in cuisine, desserts, confectionery, as well as in ice creams and sorbets...

Medals obtained :

Médaille de Bronze au Inside Food And Spirits Competition, 2018.