OUR STORY | ABOUT HERITAGE CIDER

What is Heritage Cider?

Heritage cider is made from apples grown for a single purpose – to make the best possible cider. A cider orchard is planned and managed around this goal. Along with site selection, row orientation, and growing system; apple varieties such as Harrison, Hewes Crab, Wickson Crab, Dabinett, and Puget Spice are chosen because individually, or more often when blended, they produce a cider with a balance of acid, body, structure and lush aromatics. Each locality and site must find optimal varieties to grow and the best ways to grow them. No two cider orchards, and no two heritage ciders will be quite the same.

Just as many varieties of wine grapes have been identified and cultivated for centuries, so it is with cider apples. It is from the continuation of this centuries-long process of identifying, maintaining, and adding to a collection of varieties that make truly outstanding cider, that heritage cider takes its name, no matter how current or even experimental the methods or sensibilities. Due to the dependence on the fruit for the quality of the cider, heritage is sometimes alternately referred to as orchard cider, or orchard-driven cider.

Heritage Cider is Apple Cider:

Cider made from apples grown for cider doesn’t need other fruits, spices, or external sugar to add interest. The apples are delicious, complex, and fascinating within themselves.  The range of flavor aroma and texture is broad and includes, but also transcends “appley,” just as your favorite wine varietals are from the grapes, but don’t taste especially “grapey.”

Heritage Cider is Revelation: 

True cider apples are sometimes unpleasant to eat fresh due to high amounts of acid and tannin, but the fermentation process awakens dormant aromas within the apple, and reduces the obscuring veil of sugar. With maturation, tannin softens, creates body, and harmonizes the aromas. The cider opens a window into the nature of the apple.

Heritage Cider is Relationship:

Earth, tree, sun, climate, grower, apple, yeast, maker, experiencer, food.

Heritage Cider is Evolution:

Each year’s crop is captured in the bottle, both a snapshot of that orchard year, and a slowly evolving artifact.