Made with a blend of apples: Dabinett (67%) & Harry Masters Jersey (31%) from LP’s Home Orchard and with addition of Gin Pear (2%) out of Dymock, Gloucestershire. 2019 was a testing year for cider makers. The summer was only moderately warm and the autumn, cool and relentlessly wet. James and Susanna waited until mid-November to pick fruit from their home orchard; they only managed to bring a small crop but of very good quality thanks to them being ruthless in fruit selection. All the fruit was pressed together and co-fermented in a tank without additions. Close to the end of the primary fermentation they racked the tank into four ex-white wine barrels – three Sauternes and one Meursault. These are amongst their first experiments with wine barrels. Tasting them over time (6 months) with various people, the tasting note “orange wine” became common, but they decided to bottle this cider as their little homage to skin-contact whites.
Bottled: December 10th 2020
This cider is really reflective of the varieties and barrels in which it spent time. The nose swirls in a kaleidoscope of tangerine, vanilla and exotic flowers, but it also has a hint of something savoury in the background. It’s intensely fruity, tangy and juicy, bursting with peach, apricot, zesty orange oil, a cool note of cloves and some silky soft tannins
Food pairing recommendations Just like orange wines, with bright flavours, tannins and acid this is a super versatile cider. Grilled meats, shellfish, spice – all can be taken in its stride.