In the present day, I’m writing as I watch my cat Thistle wash her paw within the vivid winter daylight. It’s not heat, however I’m so completely happy to see the solar, even when I recognize it from indoors. Lots of my cider mates are touring to (or already at) Virginia for CiderCon proper now. I hope they’ll have protected journeys and fantastic instances on the convention; this system definitely seems to be superb!
If you wish to learn extra about this sold-out occasion, take a look at the American Cider Affiliation’s web site: https://ciderassociation.org/cidercon2022/
Simply because I’m staying house this 12 months, doesn’t imply I’m not nonetheless fascinated by and loving cider. I’m making an attempt one other new-to-me cidery this week: Dutton Cider Co.. I’m pairing a Dutton Cider Co.’s Carbonated Exhausting Apple Cider with Penzey’s Smoky 4S and the beginning of Residence Fires Season 2. I might not be having essentially the most thrilling winter on report, however I’ve received cozy all discovered. My because of Dutton Cider Co for sending me samples for assessment.
Right here’s what I used to be capable of finding out about Sonoma County’s Dutton Cider.
THE MAKERS Dutton Ranch farms 200 acres of CCOF licensed natural apples along with 1200 acres of vineyards within the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. Joe and Tracy Dutton based Dutton Property Vineyard in 1995 and grew up farming apples alongside vineyards. Their mixed multi- generational household historical past conjures up the crafting of onerous apple cider.
You may be taught extra about Dutton Estates from the web site: https://www.duttonestate.com/
Right here’s a bit extra data from the cidery in regards to the apples and cider making.
THE APPLES
The mixing of the beloved native heirloom Gravenstein selection with Golden Scrumptious fashions the right cider… fruit-forward, like biting into recent apples, with a contact of tartness and sweetness.
THE METHOD
“Chilly” is the key to our cider. Chilly urgent, chilly settling, chilly fermenting, and chilly storage be certain that crisp apple flavors are retained and acidity is easy and vivid.
This cider has an ABV of seven.4%
Look: good, shining, cool toned gold, tiny bubbles
This can be a very fairly cider; it appears a disgrace to cover it in a can! I poured mine right into a rocks glass so I might recognize its good shine and nearly cold-toned gold. I barely know how you can describe the colour; it’s mature yellow with a reminiscence of inexperienced like wheat suggestions. I can see only a few tiny seen bubbles.
Aromas: golden raisins, overripe apples, minerals
Ooh! This cider has some fabulous energy in its aromas. The cider smells like overripe apples; the notes are concentrated like golden raisins. I additionally get a vibrant base of minerals.
Sweetness/Dryness: Candy
This can be a candy to semi-sweet cider. The sweetness is balanced by each bitterness and acidity, however it’s undoubtedly integral to the cider.
Flavors and ingesting experiences: candy, inexperienced apple, bitter, mineral end
Dutton Cider Co.’s Carbonated Exhausting Apple Cider begins with a splash of vivid magic acid that makes me consider inexperienced apples. The minerals are a bit sharp and the acid feels angular in my mouth. The cider isn’t funky, however it’s profile is completely different from most excessive acid and candy ciders. Maybe it’s that this cider can also be tannic and bitter, however I’m not fully positive but.
What an attention-grabbing cider. I like how Dutton’s Cider has notes of Maple with a little bit of bitterness that fills out the tasting expertise. For a candy cider I used to be shocked by the minerality of the end. My co-tasters disagreed in regards to the mouthfeel: hearty vs mild. I can perceive the divide. Tannic ciders and sweeter ciders can really feel full however acidic cider with robust bubbles really feel mild. This cider is all of these issues.
General, Dutton’s cider comes throughout as splendidly attention-grabbing; it is a clear polished cider that undoubtedly has winemakers’ roots. It makes for a fairly good pairing with popcorn and glorious TV.
