Poiré Le Vertueux – Perry

Poiré Le Vertueux is lightly sparkling and made from twelve pear varieties

Poiré Le Vertueux is a pear cider from Normandy, pressed from twelve local pear varieties. With an ABV of 2.5%, it contains less alcohol than any sparkling wine and is fruitier and softer than its apple-based counterpart.

Pear cider is called Poiré in France, and Le Vertueux from Maison Sassy comes from Manneville-la-Pipard in Normandy. Twelve local pear varieties go into the press; the must is fermented at a controlled temperature and stopped early – which is why 41.9 grams of residual sugar per liter remain in the glass along with only 2.5% ABV. Le Vertueux means "the virtuous one."

Pear, blossom, and a fine mousse

The nose features ripe pear, followed by hints of blossom and a touch of honey, reminiscent of a late summer day under a pear tree.

On the palate, it is finely and persistently sparkling; the mousse carries the fruit without masking it. With 4.38 grams of acidity per liter, it remains fruity, juicy, and effortless—the sweetness is present but not pushy.

It appears straw-yellow with a golden shimmer in the glass, and when you pour it, the perlage lasts longer than one would expect from such a light drink. This is due to the fermentation: if stopped early, the carbonation remains fine and the fruit intact, whereas a fully fermented must turns out harder and drier. This is exactly what distinguishes cider from wine.

With galettes, cheese, and pear tart

The Poiré pairs well with anything made of butter, dough, and fruit, above all the savory buckwheat galette of Normandy.

Served well-chilled at six to eight degrees, pour it into a white wine glass instead of a narrow flute, as the fruit needs room to breathe. It works just as well with aged cheese as it does with a pear tart topped with crème fraîche, and even a piece of bold blue cheese pairs surprisingly well with its sweetness.

Because this pear cider is so light, it will carry you through a long afternoon even if you have plans afterward. It makes a great aperitif in any case, and in the summer, it can be turned into an effortless aperitif with a sprig of mint and a few ice cubes. If you prefer something tart, go for the Cidre L'Inimitable made from apples, and you can find more bottles of this kind in our cider selection.

Two childhood friends and the Château de Sassy

Pierre-Emmanuel and Xavier founded Maison Sassy in 2014; two Normans who wanted to bring the cider of their childhood out of the dusty shadows.

They grew up drinking it at the Château de Sassy, the family seat in the heart of Normandy, where cider is as much a part of life as wine is elsewhere. When they started, cider in France was considered a drink for grandparents, or at best, an accompaniment to crêpes. They put it in slim bottles, gave it a stylish label, and served it where champagne would normally be poured.

It is pressed at Clos Noirval near Manneville-la-Pipard using pure fruit juice, without concentrates or additives. "Cheeky, lively, spirited"—that is how Pierre-Emmanuel and Xavier describe their ciders themselves, and because they care about the bigger picture, the company holds B-Corp certification. The Poiré is the quietest in the range, the one with the lowest alcohol content and the most confidence in its fruit.

They have turned the cider of their grandparents into something you can put on the table without explanation, in a bottle that looks like it was thoughtfully designed. The Virtuous One. The name fits.