PETITE CIDER 2023

 Fruit
50% Virginia Hewe’s Crab, 40% Ruby Red Crab, 10% Wickson Crab

Site
Silver Creek Orchard - Nelson County, Virginia 1060’ elevation.

Vinification
VHC was harvested in late August and pressed directly to neutral French oak shortly after. Wickson and Ruby Red were harvested in mid October and pressed directly to neutral French oak as well. Upon completing uninoculated, native primary fermentations, both barrels sat undisturbed through the winter months until they were racked and combined in a larger, 500L puncheon in April of 2024. The blended crab cider was further aged for a few more months until 1/2 was bottled still midsummer. No additions of SO2 were made at any stage of this wine.

Notes
The initial idea for our Petite cider was for it to showcase the immense flavor and dimension of crabapples in cider, demonstrating that not all cider needs to be sparkling. Rather those with concentrated body and lush aromatics deserved to be presented more like a structured white wine would be; still. Over the years it was easy for Virginia Hewe’s to steal the show and became the exclusive varietal year to year, developing into one of the rare single varietal ciders we make. In 2023 most higher elevation orchards were heavily effected by frost, all but whipping out our Virginia Hewe’s crop. What VHC we were left with at lower elevation seemed to be lacking substance, hampered by heavy rains during harvest. Delighted with the Ruby Red vintages of ’21 and ’22, we figured its immense body could elevate blend. The resulting cider grew into one compelling and complex still ciders we have made to date. The aromatics are less lush and more refined. There is a stone fruit pit nuttiness, giving way to peach jam and spice. Grippy, hydrated concrete pad minerality. This is a fine example of why we love crab apples so much. 

315 Bottles Produced, Alc. 9.21% by Volume, 750ml