Patois "Mint Springs" Cider, Albemarle, Virginia 2020

FROM THE PRODUCER

THE CIDER: Fruit/Site: First planted in the nineteenth century and now untended for almost twenty years, this site holds the remnants of the former Wayland Orchard in Crozet. We’re rehabbing the existing Stayman and Winesap trees and replanting seedlings without the use of any synthetic chemical inputs. Clay loam of granitic schist with many rock fragments, 950’ elevation.

Additional unsprayed crab and solitary apple trees around Albemarle County allowed us to fill the barrel.

Season:

2020 taught us why most of the historic orchard sites east of the Blue Ridge were planted below 1000’ elevation: late spring frosts claimed almost all fruit in the mountains but spared those further down the slopes.

The cooler spring delayed ripening and provided higher than usual acidity.

Fermentation/Development:

Apples fermented on their skins for five days with the cap kept wet by hand. Pressed cider finished fermentation in used French oak and aged for six months under voile.

Bottles were re-fermented in the traditional method with their own yeasts and organic sugar. Aged on lees 18 months before being riddled and disgorged by hand. No SO2 additions were made.

Tasting:

Rose hip, concord grape, pecan