ORCHARD 2023 VINTAGE – 5.8% ABV – Dry, Sparkling

ORCHARD BLEND 2023 5.8% ABV
Mostly Stoke Red, Dunkerton, Brown Snout & Cadbury Redwing

Bottle conditioned, Sparkling cider

Smoky, aromatic, delicate acidity with vibrant, refreshing bubbles.

The idea behind Orchard Blend is that it should celebrate the specific characteristics of a particular single orchard. In 2021 we picked fruit from Jamie Montgomery’s orchard near Cadbury [producer of one of the last true traditional cheddar cheeses in Somerset],  which contains a dizzying array of varieties.

The Story

 Jamie mentioned he had never tried a cider made solely from his orchard and we liked the idea of this as a starting point. We chose Stoke Red for the main part of the blend [a vintage sharp apple and like Yarlington Mill or Dabinett it is often made into a single variety cider], the aptly named Brown Snout for tannin content, Dunkerton for a roundness and a little Cadbury Redwing for interest.

The 2023 vintage is much lighter and fresher than the 2022 harvest, owing to a milder winter and the greater yeast activity that came with it. It’s a lovely aperitif cider and offers a lovely contrast to the other 2023 ciders, which have more residual sweetness. Glug glug glug!