Patois Cider 'Quaker Run' Virginia 2021

If Virginia is for lovers, Patois Cider may specifically be a love-letter to its fallen apples. Partners Patrick and Danielle are based in Crozet, Virginia, in the heart of apple country. Not owning land themselves, they opt to forage instead, believing that sourcing heirloom fruit is an exploration of the historic knowledge gifted to us by the past and a simultaneous commitment to the success of future ecosystems of flora, faun, and family. This cider is a blend of 25% Gold Rush, 25% Black Twig, 20% Roxbury Russet, 20% Ashmead’s Kernel, and 10% Grimes Golden apples from Quaker Run Orchard, a former commercial orchard dating back to the 19th century in Madison, Virginia. The current owners still maintain a few rows of mature apple trees from which this fruit was sourced. Following harvest, the apples were left in small bins in the shade to further concentrate for two-four weeks before pressing. A continuous fermentation carried through from September to December, with Patrick and Danielle choosing to crush the apples to soak overnight on the skins and then pressed into a mix of neutral French oak and glass demijohns. The multiple components were then blended to finish fermenting in bottle. Bottle aged sur lattes for 15 months before being riddled and hand-disgorged. Delightfully zesty, think candied lime peel and lime caviar with a chamomile tea like tannin. Low-intervention/natural cider.