New York's Passive House Certified and Organic Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery

This month I received two ciders from New York's Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery as part of the BevFluence New Perspectives on Cider campaign.  Seminary Hill is located in the western Catskills, specifically in Callicoon, a small town on the Delaware River that separates New York and Pennsylvania. It is owned by Chicagoans Doug Doetsch and Susan Manning although Doetsch's pedigree in the region extends back multiple generations.  The property is named after a Romanesque-style seminary that Franciscan priests built in 1901. Besides the cider house, which utilizes wood reclaimed from the now-demolished Tappan Zee Bridge, the property includes a Boarding House that occupies a former hospital and doctor's office. 

Through the assistance of architect James Hartford and River Architects, Seminary Hill is the world's first Passive House certified alcoholic beverage facility.  Many people are more familiar with the LEED sustainable building certification, but the Passive House certification identifies "a handful of practices that have the biggest effect. This makes it simpler for more people to get involved in making sustainable buildings and thus increases the cumulative effect. Through computer modeling, it was determined that the key elements were a super-tight envelope, with all air exchange going through an energy recovery ventilator; high levels of insulation; and solar orientation and shading to gain solar heat in the winter and reject it in the summer." 

Although Seminary Hill is a relatively new operation, they utilize the services of long-time cider-maker Stuart Madany. I first encountered Stuart 11 years ago when he was the cidermaker at Castle Hill Cider in central Virginia and introduced us to cider aged in Georgian Kevri. See Winemaker Series: Castle Hill Cider & Kvevri.  Through email, he was able to explain some of the differences and similarities between cider-making in New York State and Central Virginia:

Both New York State and Central Virginia have pretty well-developed tasting room cultures - so to speak. People like to go and spend time tasting various craft beverages and visiting the places they're made. I think Harvest-Driven cider is probably a little more prevalent and a little more broadly appreciated in New York.

Certainly, the soil is different with the tremendous amount of rock and ledge here. My first week here someone told me that the gardeners here have a saying, that there are two rocks here for every dirt. There's a good bit of clay here too, but not as red as the heavy clay of Central Virginia.

And of course, the growing season is shorter, with colder, and snowier winters.

For me, the big difference this translates into is which varieties really shine in the cider. We're not growing Black Twig here, and the GoldRush I've found to be underwhelming. But, there are extremely exciting bittersweets and aromatic apples up here. While Harry Master's Jersey, or Tremlett's Bitter might give you a bit of aroma along with their high tannin in Virginia, they can be bursting with aroma and flavor up here. The French Amere de Bethencourt has some fantastic exotic spiciness. Aromatic apples like Ribston Pippin and Egremont Russet are also just packed with aroma and wonderful to work with. I'm hoping to have more apples of these varieties to work with this fall.

For the BevFluence tasting, we received two ciders representing the breadth of the Seminary Hill Orchard. The Delaware Dry 2020 is a bone-dry blend of Chisel Jersey (bittersharp) 42%, Baldwin (sharp-sweet) 26%, Golden Russet (sharp) 20%, and Northern Spy (sharp-sweet) 12%. Slightly sweeter, the Cackling Hen 2021 is a semi-sweet blend of Dabinett (bittersweet) 35%, Wickson (sweet) 19%, Newtown Pippin (sharp) 15%, Chisel Jersey (bittersharp) 8%, Golden Russet (sharp) 7%, GoldRush (sharp) 4%, Harry Master's Jersey (bittersweet ) 4%, Puget Spice (bittersharp) 2%, and others 6%. See the LARS classification below for what each apple variety contributes to the blend.

Because the orchard is so young and there are very few cider apple growers in the area, Seminary Hill decided to plant as many varieties as possible in order to determine which are most suitable for Sullivan County in terms of both harvest size and flavor. In total, Seminary Hill's orchard contains 54 apple varieties and 7 perry pear varieties. This explains the large number of apple varieties in each of these ciders but obscures the number of blending and small-batch trials used to create each composition. According to Madany, "Eventually, it will mean that our blends reflect the best of the potential of our spot on earth".

Being a new orchard, Seminary Hill is working through its pest management regime, particularly being an organic cidery.  Fire blight is a contagious bacterial disease that can only be prevented and is becoming more of a problem in New York over the last couple of yours. Infected trees must have the fire blight 'strikes' cut out after infection.  Cooler weather, particularly through the bloom season, helps contain this bacteria. 

The labels of the two ciders also reflect the history and geography of the region -- obviously Delaware Dry for the river. Dutch hunters tracked beaver along the Delaware River during the 1600s and the town of Callicoon is based on the Dutch "Kollikoon" which means: wild turkeys. Thus Cackling Hen references both the town and wild turkeys -- which are still abundant today. 

On the palate, the Delaware Dry contains a tasteful, fleshy, and chewy distribution of tannins and acidity  There are also noticeable malic qualities providing a long and clean finish.  The Cackling Hen has a stronger nose and is more tart and tannic which I think the sugar and fleshy apple flavors help control. I added a little Sagebird Cider Pommeau which accentuates the acidity while tamping down the tannins, and without adding much additional sweetness. 

LARS Classification:
Sweet (low acid, low tannin)
Sharp (high acid, low tannin)
Bittersweet (low acid, high tannin)
Bittersharp (high acid, high tannin)

Grape Spotlight: Pannonian Area Blaufränkisch & Kékfrankos

Like the Wine Tour Across Borders between Baranja (Croatia) and Villány (Hungary), there is a similar scene between Neusiedlersee (Austria) and Sopron (Hungary) that I will refer to as the Pannonian Area Wine Region. This region encompasses remnants of the Austria-Hungarian Empire and also includes parts of Slovakia, Slovenia, and Croatia. The Austrian Neusiedlersee represents the western border with the lake providing a tempering effect on the climate—ensuring that winters are relatively mild, summer is moderately hot, and fall is generally long and hot.  Immediately to the east, lies the Sopron wine region and Hungarian wine literature is basically equivalent to its Austrian counterpart: 

"Sopron lies in the northwest of Hungary, directly on the border with Austria...where it shares its viticultural traditions with Burgenland. Its 1,579 hectares of vines are planted on the slopes of the Sopron and Kőszeg Hills and around Lake Fertő, as Neusiedlsee is known in Hungary, at altitudes of 150 to 400 meters above sea level. It is basically a direct continuation of the vineyards around Rust and the Leitha Hills in Austria. The best area for viticulture is in the north between Lake Fertő, Balf and Fertőrákos. However, there are also vines to the east of Sopron. Vines are generally planted on the northwestern and southwestern slopes where there is less risk of frost." -- TasteHungary.com

Kékfrankos (Hungarian for Blaufränkisch) is the major grape variety in Sopron which thrives around the lake, where "there is less loess and brown forest soil and more mica schist and gneiss, which gives the wines great minerality". This mico schist is found nowhere else in Hungary. Steigler Winery utilizes organic grapes grown in this mico schist, particularly from the "best slopes of Sopron: Steiger, Frettner, and Spern Steiner. The winery was founded in  2015 by Bálint Lőrinczy -- and winemaker Tamás Varga crafts wines from grape varieties sharing a common heritage with neighboring Burgenland. The Steigler, Kékfrankos, 2020 ($23.90) is one example. This wine is available in the U.S. through Taste Hungary, but I had a few glasses at a recent Hungarian festival sponsored by the Kossuth Foundation. This is an organic wine, from vines that are eight to 20 years old, fermented in open vats for 12 to 15 days, and aged in 50 percent steel tanks and 50 percent oak barrels for 12 months. Think fresh plums and sour cherries with racy minerality and acidity, the latte not normally associated with red wine. 

Closer to the Alps and across the border is Neusiedlersee and without the lake's climate stabilizing influence, winter would arrive earlier, shortening the growing season. This would make it much more difficult to grow later ripening grapes such as Blaufränkisch and Austria's signature grape, Grüner Veltliner.  Even though Blaufränkisch doesn't have a similar DAC designation as Zweigelt, it is a major player in Burgenland and the Neusiedlersee.

That is where the Domaine Andau cooperative farms 660 ha of vineyards with a certain percentage of Blaufränkisch. See Grape Spotlight: Neusiedlersee Zweigelt for a more detailed overview of the winery (as well as Zantho).  Their 2019 Blaufränkisch (€9.50) was included in our Hopwine allocation and is simply delicious.  Imagine dark red cherries, a chewy interior, soft tannins, and a touch of spice and tobacco. The Zantho 2021 Blaufränkisch (€8.90) is quite different, with a more intense profile starting with the aroma, then darker fruit; more minerality and tannins; and a longer, lasting finish. I definitely need to procure full bottles of each in the future. 

Loudoun County Spring 2023 Barrel Tasting

In late-April, we purchased tickets to the Loudoun Wineries Association's Spring 2023 Barrel Tasting visiting five out of a possible 14 wineries in that county that participated. Our group started at Willowcroft Vineyards, the oldest winery in the county and the 8th oldest in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Owner and winemaker Lew Parker purchased the property in 1979, planted grapes the following year, constructed the winery in 1983, and opened it to the public in '84. Today they grow 12 grape varieties with Albarino and Riesling being long-time favorites of ours. 

However, today's focus was on a trio of reds aging in the cellar -- all 2022 vintage and aging in different types of oak casks. We started by tasting from an American oak barrel holding the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon where the barrel is adding tannins as well as vanilla and tobacco to this light-bodied wine. A 2-year-old French oak barrel is housing the 2022 Merlot allowing the fruit to shine forth while augmenting with additional tannins. Finally, a new French oak barrel is being used to age the 2022 Petit Verdot where the full-bodied and structured wine will receive even more tannins to make this an age-worthy wine. 

We then traveled the backroads of Loudoun County to Endhardt Vineyards, a relatively new winery operating on a beautiful estate south of Purcellville. And for a new winery, owners Hannes and Sarah Endhardt have invested heavily, both in the 46-acre estate and the extensive barrel program.  They have planted five grape varieties on their 11 acres under vine: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. During the barrel tasting, we received a mini-vertical of two years of the Petit Verdot and Merlot. This allowed us to witness the transformation of each wine as it matured with the younger wines being more one-dimensional fruity and the older ones more structured. Looking forward to visiting on a day without rain and to enjoy their upcoming white Cabernet Franc. 

After lunch at Monk's BBQ in Purcellville, we headed a few miles north to one of our go-to wineries: Walsh Family Wine.  We've spent time with Nate over the years, at the old Whole Foods tastings, through his seminars at Sunset Hills, and now operating Walsh Family Wine with his wife Sarah.  The barrel tasting started on a high note with the first white wine of the day, a delicious Chenin Blanc. Just a touch of oak and substantial fruit.  We also tasted, I believe, a Merlot and a Tannat, in between conversations on racking,  blending, and viticulture in general. We finished with the very drinkable and ready Paeonian red blend - named after the town of Paeonian Springs where the grapes for this wine were sourced. This will be a highly prized release. 

We then traveled north into Hillsboro and to one of the oldest wineries in Loudoun County, Doukenie Winery. Greek for Duchess, Doukenie has a beautiful estate at the base of a short mountain range; interestingly, with Breaux Vineyards on the other side of that range.  It has been a while since I last visited; I particularly remember their A Taste of Science seminars. On this day, we tasted several wines while having a very informative discussion on brix and pH and how winemakers measure each. We also discussed different grape varieties and the benefits and difficulties of growing each. We learned how Cabernet Sauvignon is difficult to ripen in Virginia because of a lack of consistent sunshine. Cabernet Franc, on the other hand, is well suited for Virginia, but growers and winemakers have to time harvest exactly to balance the pyrazines and sugar and acidity. Honestly, I didn't document the other wines we tasted because I was so enamored with this technical conversation. It brought back the A Taste of Science seminars. Looking forward to returning to learn more about winemaking and viticulture as well as to taste these wines once bottled.

Our last stop of the tour was very close to where we started, Zephaniah Farm Vineyard -- located just south of Leesburg. The property has been a family farm since 1950, first as a  dairy farm and then as a vineyard since the early 2000s when the first grapes were planted. Winemaker Bill Hatch has been known for his Cabernet Franc and that was the focus of this day's barrel tasting. Specifically, they poured a 2021 Cabernet Franc that was resting in a 500-liter neutral Hungarian oak puncheon and the same vintage aging in a 228-liter French oak barrel.  Obviously, the version aging in the puncheon showed more fruit whereas the smaller French oak was providing more spices and tannic character.  The winery plans to combine the wine from both barrels into a third barrel, but I wish they would bottle some from just the puncheon - slightly chilled it would be a delicious summer sipper. 

Zephaniah made the barrel tasting even more interesting by giving visitors a sip of their 2022 Chelois, a French hybrid grape (Bienvenu and Roi de Noirs are its parents) created by French grape-breeder Albert Seibel in the wake of the phylloxera crisis of the late 19th century.  This is the only Chelois planted in Virginia and it shows dark fruit with limited tannins but decent acidity. It will be interesting if they decide to release it as a single varietal or as a blend. 

Grape Spotlight: Neusiedlersee Zweigelt

The creation of the Zweigelt variety in the 1920s, a crossing between Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent, only really gained recognition after the Second World War. Nowadays, Zweigelt is the most widespread red wine variety in Austria and can be found in suitable sites in all wine-producing regions. -- Austrian Wine 

The finest examples hail from Burgenland – particularly the Neusiedlersee. -- wine-searcher.com

Zweigelt was developed by Dr. Friedrich "Fritz" Zweigelt in 1922 and the grape inherited desirable characteristics from both of its parents. Saint-Laurent provides bright, Pinot-like cherry aromas and the ability to create silky, elegant wines; whereas, Blaufrankisch provides spiciness and acidity. Since both parents are capable of creating wines with deep, rich purple-crimson coloring, it is no surprise that Zweigelt wines tend to be very richly colored.

In the vineyard Zweigelt buds later than Saint-Laurent and ripens earlier than Blaufrankisch and thus provides an insurance policy in the vineyard. While the other two varieties are susceptible to harsh weather conditions (spring frost and autumn rain respectively), Zweigelt vines typically dodge these seasonal threats. Zweigelt also has the advantage of being a high-yielding variety, further contributing to its popularity with winegrowers.

Burgenland is a large wine-producing region on Austria's eastern border that occupies a narrow strip of land that runs along the Danube River. On its eastern side is the border with Hungary and to the west lies the most eastern foothills of the Alps. Burgenland is home to four Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC) appellations: from north to south; Neusiedlersee, Leithaberg, Mittelburgenland, and Eisenberg. Within each of these zones, any wines which do not conform to the particular classification are labeled with the Burgenland appellation. 

AustrianWine

Although Zweigelt is planted in all Austrian wine regions, it is in Burgenland where it thrives.  This is particularly true on the eastern side of Neusiedlersee Lake -- the Neusiedlersee DAC -- where the region's sunny, continental summers meet the Lake's microclimate. The lake stores summer heat from the Pannonian Plain, an expansive, warm area that covers much of Hungary and eastern Austria, effectively lengthening the ripening season into autumn. In essence, the Neusiedlersee DAC is topographically more aligned with Hungary than with much of the rest of Austria.  The soils within Neusiedlersee itself are varied, ranging from the low-lying, botrytis-inducing foggy lakeshore slopes to the drier, sandy-loam and gravel inclines beyond.  In total, the DAC covers nearly 6,700 hectares (16,500 acres) of vineyards, mostly centered on the northern and eastern shores of the lake.

The Neusiedlersee DAC has been recognized since the 2012 vintage and is synonymous with fruity, harmonious red Zweigelt wines. These wines must be at least 12 percent ABV and can be aged in either oak barrels or stainless steel. The designation of origin also includes a Reserve category. To qualify for the DAC Reserve title for Zweigelt, the wine must be 100 percent Zweigelt, must attain 13 percent ABV, and at annual tasting panels show extra depth and power, and aromas of oak aging.

Andau is a city and area lying steps from the Hungarian border and experiences the hottest summers in Austria.  The soil is dominated by "gravel with iron components and a few sand layers; a very warm soil type with good water drainage capacity. The rocks are able to store the warmth during the day and give it off during the night allowing the berries to grow quicker and more homogenous. The high content of iron in the ground gives the wines a fine spiciness." 

Domaine Andau is a cooperative of 90 families located in Burgenland that farms 660 ha of vineyards within the Neusiedlersee. The cooperative was founded in 1959, a difficult economic time in Austrian history, but coming off a remarkable yield the previous year. The families banded together in order to produce and sell this harvest. The domaine has grown into one of the largest cooperatives in Austria supporting numerous small family businesses.  I received a package of their wines through a Hopwine fair and the 2019 Zweigelt (€9.50) is a classic zweigelt. It has a powerful red cherry aroma that transitions to a darker plum and mildly spicy interior. The finish shows soft tannins but a lengthy acidic tail. 

Zantho was formed at the "beginning of the millennium by Josef Umathum, a successful winemaker from Frauenkirchen, and oenologist Wolfgang Peck, together with chosen members from the cooperative Domaine Andau". This subset of the cooperative cultivates 80 ha of vines in the Neusiedlersee. The name Zantho is mentioned in the oldest dated document from 1487, which refers to the founding of Andau, as Andau is mentioned as Anthwaw or in Old Magyar Zantho (s).  Their 2021 Zweigelt (€8.90) was made through hand-harvesting, with no herbicide use, and fermented in stainless steel tanks while aged for 10-12 additional months in stainless steel. The wine is very fresh with an extremely strong cherry aroma, chewy plums and red cherries, surprising tannins, and fresh acids. 

Nationals Park Craft Beverage Tour

I noticed that the Nationals had a Josiah Gray bobblehead promotion and thought that was a good incentive to attend a game and while I'm there visit the several craft beverage establishments that surround the stadium. As the Nationals continue to improve, I see myself attending both more games and taking more trips to these breweries.

Valor Brewpub
I started the Nationals Park craft beverage tour by taking the Metro to Union Market and walking in the stadium's direction to Valor Brewpub. This brewery is located across the street from the Marine Barracks and thus honors this military tradition. I enjoyed a flight consisting of the Chief Smoke Rauchbier, Czeck Pivo, Barracks Row Lager, and Pollywog Porter. If you love chocolate Porters, like me, you will enjoy this one. The Rauchbier was a nice compliment to the Porter and the two lagers, very refreshing and flavorful. Solid beers.

Bluejack Brewery
Bluejack Brewery has consistently been a favorite location near Nats Park and before today's game, I was able to get a seat at the bar to enjoy a pint of the Love Cats German Pilsner.  Just a fantastic beer. I also heard that their distribution is expanding both within the DMV area but also to Atlanta. Will seek them out during our Nats-Braves road trip in June. 

District Winery
District Winery is just a block south of BlueJacket Brewery and right on the Anacostia River. This winery-restaurant produces wine from grapes sourced throughout the world with my favorite being the refreshingly acidic Riesling from grapes grown in the Finger Lakes. Another wine to try is the Chenin Blanc from the Clarksburg AVA in California.

 Solace Navy Yard Outpost
Our last stop on this short Nationals pregame tour was to the relatively new Solace Navy Yard Outpost, literally just across Potomac Avenue from the stadium and a short walk from District Winery along the boardwalk. We are big fans of Solace and frequent visitors to their Falls Church Outpost and I had to douse the desire to order my go-to Artificial Light German Pilsner. Instead, I chose the Vibrant Light Gose, a slightly sour and tart melding of blackberries and raspberries. Weather permitting, I recommend sipping outside while watching the sailboats on the Anacostia.

Atlas Brew Works
As soon as I entered the stadium, the Nationals announced that the game was under a rain delay, and looking at the forecast and talking to ushers -- we could expect a two-hour delay. Having the bobblehead in hand, I decided to spend this time at the Atlas Brew Works Half Street location in front of the stadium. Although the brewery was packed, I was able to find a corner and stay on theme with the Ballpark Pilsner.  This might be my first stop next game. Cheers.

Herbal Liqueurs: Zwack Unicum Szilva

In 1790, Habsburg ruler Joseph II had a bout of indigestion, and asked Dr. József Zwack, royal physician to the Imperial Court, for a remedy. Dr. Zwack offered the Holy Roman Emperor a sip of an herbal digestive and which Joseph II responded, "Das ist ein Unikum!" ("This is unique!")

Fifty years after this encounter with Joseph II, József Zwack founded the J Zwack & Co., and the first herb liqueur made under the name “Unicum” and using the same recipe occurred on May 22, 1883. The round bottle contained the recognizable red circle and gold cross on its belly implying its medicinal value.  As demand increased son Lajos moved the distillery to its present location in 1892. By 1926, Zwack Lajos’s sons, Béla Zwack and János Zwack had both joined the Company. 

During WWII, Budapest was one of the most bombed cities in Europe, and the distillery was completely destroyed. After the war, during which the family lived in a cellar with two unexploded bombs over their heads, János and Béla, completely rebuilt the factory using the most modern technology available at the time. When, in 1948, the firm was finally ready to resume production at pre-war levels, the newly instated Communist government confiscated everything the family possessed with no compensation and "the world as I knew it", to quote Péter Zwack, János's son, "came to an end". János fled to the West with the Unicum recipe in his breast pocket, having bribed the Russian drivers to take him across the border. Béla chose to remain in Hungary and was deported, together with thousands of other "class enemies", to eke out an existence on the Great Hungarian Plain. Péter Zwack took a train to the Yugoslav border and then walked his way to Trieste where, with an overwhelming surge of joy and relief, he saw the British fleet at anchor in the bay.

When János Zwack arrived in the United States he discovered that the Communist State-run company was still exporting products to the USA under the Zwack name. He filed a court case against the importers and the government to retain the right to his family trademarks. In the end, he succeeded: in a precedent-setting ruling the State-run company was no longer allowed to use the name Unicum or Zwack in the West. 

In 1988, Péter Zwack returned to Hungary and then, together with his partner, Emil Underberg of the German spirits dynasty, formed Péter Zwack und Consorten AG and later they entered into a joint venture with the State-run distillery. Four years later they founded Zwack Unicum Plc. after submitting a successful bid during the privatization process and were thus able to buy back the enterprise from the State.  

I recently received Zwack Unicum Szilva as a gift along with the traditional Zwack Unicum. It's nice to do a comparative tasting. The Unicum Plum is made from the distillation and maceration of over 40 herbs and spices -- just like the traditional Unicum. Then dried plums are matured with the Unicom in used oak barrels.  The result is a milder liqueur than the traditional, slightly sweeter and savory, and with an easier, but lasting, finish. Excellent.

A Craft Beverage Road Trip along Route 340 in the Shenandoah Valley

On a trip home from Waynesboro, I decided to ditch the tractor-trailer-laden Route 81 and ventured north on the more peaceful and bucolic Route 340.  This allowed me to follow portions of both the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail and the Shenandoah Spirits Trail while passing through the towns of Elkton, Shenandoah, and Luray. In total, I stopped at eight establishments, most for the first time, and returned home with enough beverages to carry me through the rest of the month. 

Basic City Beer Company
The Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail runs from the Harrisonburg area south to Lexington and Rockbridge County. Waynesboro is basically halfway between the two borders and is home to a favorite brewery Basic City Beer Co. and #thecompasscbf stop number 45. The brewery is housed in the former Virginia Metalcrafters building and is a destination itself with pizza and various arcade games (shuffleboard, pinball, etc), plus a large selection of beer. I usually stock up on two staples the Our Daily Pils German Pilsner and whatever Grin's Casket is available. On this visit, it was the Cherry Quad aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels with almonds. Can't wait to open during a firepit night.

Elkton Brewing Company
Remaining on the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail, we headed north on Rt 340 to Elkton -- a small town situated between Massanutten Mountain and Skyline Drive -- and settled by German and Scots-Irish immigrants similar to the founders of Elkton Brewing (#thecompasscbf stop number 46). The Napotnik family opened the brewery in a building originally built in 1890 to house the Elkton Milling Company. They brew a large array of beers and had 14 on tap on our arrival. Our flight consisted of the Nekid Crik Kolsch, Blonde Bear Blonde Ale, Uncommon Elk California Common, and the BoysenTuley Pie Boysenberry + Graham Cracker + Vanilla GOSE / Sour. I can't imagine the thought process of Colonel Gos Tuley, who was responsible for killing the last known indigenous Virginia Elk in 1855. The Uncommon Elk was the favorite and worked well with the Bayou Gumbo available at the food truck.

Chateau Virginia
After leaving Elkton Brewing I noticed a Winery sign a block away and stopped to discover Chateau Virginia - a new Virginia winery that officially just opened in April. The winery is producing wine from Shenandoah grapes that hopefully will be available in the near future. Winemaker and founder Andrew Starkey studied and worked for two years in Champagne specifically at Crezancy. Andrew's sister Amanda is the resident sommelier. She also studied in France and was the sommelier at Pippen Hill Winery and The Inn at Little Washington. The winery also offers a wide selection of wines from around the world starting close to home with Williamsburg Winery but also with a special emphasis on Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Piemonte Italy, and Mendoza.

Wisteria Farm and Vineyard
From Elkton, we continued North on Rt 340 towards Luray, diverging onto Business 340 and Wisteria Farm and Vineyard. The farm is situated in the Page Valley enclosed by the Massenutten range to the west and Skyline Drive to the east and still within the Shenandoah Valley proper. And is fully part of the Shenandoah Spirits Trail. Not only do they produce wine from their estate grapes, but have a small flock of natural-colored Romney sheep as well as free-roaming chickens. I indulged in a flight consisting of the dry Seyval ($21), Persephone dry rose ($24), Chambourcin ($24), and Ashtaroot Petnat ($23). The Seyval was rather satisfying and I purchased a bottle of the Persephone primarily because of its unique flavor profile where the blend includes some Norton.

River Hill Wine and Spirits
This was our second visit to River Hill Wine and Spirits, the first precipitated after purchasing a bottle of their Corn Whiskey and Bourbon at an ABC store. This is a very small operation, located just minutes outside of Luray. On this visit, I discovered they just released a Rye Whiskey -- aged 12 months in oak. It's quite different from the spicier versions coming out of Kentucky - grassy and earthy, with a little chalk, dark chocolate, and licorice. Loads of flavors.

Blue Shepherd Spirits
We reached a milestone last weekend, visiting our 50th craft beverage establishment in 2023. This was Blue Shepherd Spirits, a distillery that opened in August 2022, very close to the caverns. Their three main spirits are vodka, gin, and rum with the mash for the first two based on local corn and sugar. The New World Gin has a citrus profile that is complimented by the juniper. The Dog Days of Summer Rum (90 proof) is distilled using both molasses and cane juice and infused with various spices. Not overly spiced however and has a nice balance with the traditional rum flavor. We purchased a bottle to use with our iiCiNG Pina Colada flavoring. Unfortunately, we couldn't purchase a bottle of our favorite spirit, their 6-month-aged Whiskey because of limited production. This is a complex whiskey made from a 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley mash. Plenty of vanilla, caramel, honey, and a little rye spice.

Hawksbill Brewing Co.
Our final stop in downtown Luray was Hawksbill Brewing Co., a six-year-old brewery that specifically targets using Page County grown ingredients. This was a bustling brewery with lots of beer drinkers with their dogs enjoying an interesting array of beer. My flight consisted of The Haymaker Cream Ale (a few cans came home with us), Bearfence Black Lager, Farmer's Brown Ale, and the Brown Cow Nitro Stout. Solid beers.

Castle Vineyards
It was appropriate that we started our trip in Waynesboro -- not far from Fishersville and Barren Ridge Vineyards -- and ended it at Castle Vineyards, a satellite tasting room for that winery. Actually, it's a joint venture between the descendants of Ralph Castle Davis (thus Castle Vineyards), a local businessman and farmer. R. Steven Davis (Uncle) and Jeremy A. McCoy (nephew) planted Viognier within their working cattle farm and partnered with Barren Ridge to host their wines surrounded by excellent views of the Shenandoah Valley and Blie Ridge Mountains. After a tasting of most of their portfolio, we returned home with our three favorites starting with the delicious 2020 Cabernet Franc. Two white blends also caught our fancy, first, the 2021 Harmony blends Petit Manseng, Viognier, Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Imagine the aroma in that bottle. Second was the 2021 Tinkling Spring, a blend of Riesling, Traminette, and Vidal -- more strong aromas and tropical fruit and saline.

Grape Spotlight: Etyek-Buda Szentesi Tihany Kék

Since I purchased six Szentesi Pince wines from the Taste Hungary wine club Szentesi’s Grapes from the Past shipment we will be moving rapidly from Kadarka to the other forgotten Hungarian grape varieties -- repeating many of the same geographic and winery information.

The Etyek-Buda PDO has many unique characteristics regarding Hungarian wine regions. It is very small (1,652 hectares of vineyards) and the closest to Budapest -- located just over the Buda Hills and extending southwest to Lake Velence (Hungary’s second largest lake) near the former royal city Szekesfehervar and southwest to the slopes of the Gerecse hills.  The climate here is influenced not by one, but by three geographical features; the Alfold plains to the south, Lake Balaton to the west, and the mountain winds from the Carpathians to the north. These winds help make this one of the coldest climate regions in Hungary with an average temperature of 9.5° to 10.5° C (49° to 51° F).  The soils are predominately limestone and these rolling hills have historically been planted with international varieties used in sparkling wine production: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Yes, even Sauvignon Blanc is used to produce Asti-like sparklers. Törley, Hungary’s largest sparkling wine producer, has been producing sparkling wine from Etyek-Buda grapes since 1882.  

Szentesi Pince is another producer utilizing grapes from this area and more importantly, József Szentesi has been instrumental in re-introducing older grape varieties lost during the phylloxera scourge in the late 19th century back to the region. In 1988, "after studying 19th-century viticultural and oenological works, he decided to plant 10 forgotten white and blue grape varieties. He requested canes from the Viticulture and Wine Research Institute of the University of Pécs and began propagating and planting the varieties around Lake Velence".  Today this endeavor has expanded to 30 grape varieties planted on 14 hectares of vines. According to the winery, and common sense suggests, that "experimenting with nearly 30 varieties is extremely challenging since in each vintage you have to hit the right harvest time exactly thirty times, you have to process thirty distinct grapes, and you have to deal with thirty different wines separately".

Tihany Kék is one of these forgotten grapes and according to Taste Hungary, "there is, perhaps, just one other winemaker in Hungary (which means, also, in the whole world), who grows the Tihany Kék variety. Of all the ancient Hungarian grape varieties that winemaker József Szentesi has resurrected, this is one of the most exciting. Tihany Kék once was amongst the most popular varieties in Hungary, until phylloxera hit in the late 1800s and caused many varieties to disappear. Szentesi has given this variety a chance to survive, after planting vines from cuttings he discovered in a research institute." Tihanyi Kék is a mid-ripening variety, which makes a light wine with good structure. It has a unique spiciness and is not comparable to any other grape.

The Szentesi Tihany Kék 2020 ($29.90) is from vines that Szentesi planted in 1988, on soil that is partly volcanic, with loess, granite, limestone, andesite, and quartz. It is also produced using natural fermentation, 4 months of oak aging, and bottled unfiltered.   This is a light-bodied wine, full of red fruit flavors combined with an interesting mixture of spices and vegetal features. I totally catch the slight Worcester sauce finish. 

Grape Spotlight: Etyek-Buda Szentesi Laska

Since I purchased six Szentesi Pince wines from the Taste Hungary wine club Szentesi’s Grapes from the Past shipment we will be moving rapidly from Kadarka to the other forgotten Hungarian grape varieties -- repeating many of the same geographic and winery information.

The Etyek-Buda PDO has many unique characteristics regarding Hungarian wine regions. It is very small (1,652 hectares of vineyards) and the closest to Budapest -- located just over the Buda Hills and extending southwest to Lake Velence (Hungary’s second largest lake) near the former royal city Szekesfehervar and southwest to the slopes of the Gerecse hills.  The climate here is influenced not by one, but by three geographical features; the Alfold plains to the south, Lake Balaton to the west, and the mountain winds from the Carpathians to the north. These winds help make this one of the coldest climate regions in Hungary with an average temperature of 9.5° to 10.5° C (49° to 51° F).  The soils are predominately limestone and these rolling hills have historically been planted with international varieties used in sparkling wine production: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Yes, even Sauvignon Blanc is used to produce Asti-like sparklers. Törley, Hungary’s largest sparkling wine producer, has been producing sparkling wine from Etyek-Buda grapes since 1882.  

Szentesi Pince is another producer utilizing grapes from this area and more importantly, József Szentesi has been instrumental in re-introducing older grape varieties lost during the phylloxera scourge in the late 19th century back to the region. In 1988, "after studying 19th-century viticultural and oenological works, he decided to plant 10 forgotten white and blue grape varieties. He requested canes from the Viticulture and Wine Research Institute of the University of Pécs and began propagating and planting the varieties around Lake Velence".  Today this endeavor has expanded to 30 grape varieties planted on 14 hectares of vines. According to the winery, and common sense suggests, that "experimenting with nearly 30 varieties is extremely challenging since in each vintage you have to hit the right harvest time exactly thirty times, you have to process thirty distinct grapes, and you have to deal with thirty different wines separately".

Laska is one of these forgotten grapes and according to Taste Hungary, "used to be amongst the most popular varieties in Hungary. But then phylloxera invaded in the late 1800s and changed the landscape of Hungarian (and European) wine. Many old Hungarian varieties died out and were not replanted. Only 10 Laska vines survived, which Szentesi discovered at the wine research institute in Pécs and planted in his vineyard". In the vineyard, Laska is late-ripening and compressed into small bunches. Grape growers must control yields to ensure full ripening. 

The Szentesi Laska 2020 ($29.90) is produced using natural fermentation, 14 months of oak aging, and bottled unfiltered.   This is a very intriguing wine; fruit-forward and medium-bodied carrying red fruits such as cranberries, cherries, and raspberries. The landing is rather soft with white pepper, approachable tannins, and lingering acidity.  Try after a short chill. And too bad the seasons are off - this would work at Thanksgiving with turkey and cranberry sauce. 

Grape Spotlight: Etyek-Buda Szentesi Kadarka

The Etyek-Buda PDO has many unique characteristics regarding Hungarian wine regions. It is very small (1,652 hectares of vineyards) and the closest to Budapest -- located just over the Buda Hills and extending southwest to Lake Velence (Hungary’s second largest lake) near the former royal city Szekesfehervar and southwest to the slopes of the Gerecse hills.  The climate here is influenced not by one, but by three geographical features; the Alfold plains to the south, Lake Balaton to the west, and the mountain winds from the Carpathians to the north. These winds help make this one of the coldest climate regions in Hungary with an average temperature of 9.5° to 10.5° C (49° to 51° F).  The soils are predominately limestone and these rolling hills have historically been planted with international varieties used in sparkling wine production: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Yes, even Sauvignon Blanc is used to produce Asti-like sparklers. Törley, Hungary’s largest sparkling wine producer, has been producing sparkling wine from Etyek-Buda grapes since 1882.  

Szentesi Pince is another producer utilizing grapes from this area and more importantly, József Szentesi has been instrumental in re-introducing older grape varieties lost during the phylloxera scourge in the late 19th century back to the region. In 1988, "after studying 19th-century viticultural and oenological works, he decided to plant 10 forgotten white and blue grape varieties. He requested canes from the Viticulture and Wine Research Institute of the University of Pécs and began propagating and planting the varieties around Lake Velence".  Today this endeavor has expanded to 30 grape varieties planted on 14 hectares of vines. According to the winery, and common sense suggests, that "experimenting with nearly 30 varieties is extremely challenging since in each vintage you have to hit the right harvest time exactly thirty times, you have to process thirty distinct grapes, and you have to deal with thirty different wines separately".

That being said, although the planting of Kadarka declined after the phylloxera epidemic, it is still grown in many parts of Hungary and remains a beloved and historically popular grape variety. The grape is temperamental and susceptible to grey rot difficult to fully ripen. It was most likely introduced to Hungary from the Balkans and is best known as one of the components of the Eger region's Bull's Blood blend.  From Eger, Kadarka wine can be dark, relatively tannic, and weighty. Not so from Etyek-Buda. 

I purchased the Szentesi Kadarka 2020 ($27.90) through the Taste Hungary wine club and their shipment of  Szentesi’s Grapes from the Past. This Kadarka is from old clone vines from the Nadap vineyard planted in 1988. József's low intervention approach meant a natural fermentation and after one year of aging in neutral oak, bottled unfiltered.   The result is an elegant light to medium-bodied wine with crisp red fruit, gentle and approachable tannins, and fresh acidity. 

Grape Spotlight: IGP Peninsula de Setúbal Castelão from Casa Ermelinda Freitas

I'm not sure how I came to obtain this 2021 Vinho Regional Peninsula de Setúbal Vinha Da Fonte Reserva from Casa Ermelinda Freitas but seeing it in the cellar reminded me of our past trip to Portugal and exploring the areas surrounding Lisbon. This is a large, one-hundred-year-old family winery, currently led by Leanor Freitas, where 60% of their vineyards are dedicated to the Castelão variety. This is a dark-skinned grape that is especially suited for the sandy soils along Portugal's southern coast which includes the Setúbal Peninsula across the Tejo estuary.  The climate in Setúbal is distinctly Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and a majority of rainfall concentrated into the mild, winter months.  This sandy soil is rich in moisture which, along with the surrounding river and ocean breezes, refreshes and rejuvenates the vines during the dry summers. 

Leanor Freitas is the 4th generation female to oversee the company. "The winery was established in 1920 by Leonilde Freitas, continued by his granddaughter, Germana Freitas, and later by his great-granddaughter, Ermelinda Freitas, to whom Casa Ermelinda Freitas owes its name. With the premature death of her husband, Manuel João de Freitas, Ermelinda Freitas continued to manage the company with her only daughter, Leonor Freitas".

The vineyards of Casa Ermelinda Freitas are located in Fernando Pó of ​​the Palmela* region and began as 60 ha of only two varieties: Castelão and Fernão Pires.  Leonor Freitas introduced a range of new varieties, such as Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, Aragonês, Syrah, and Alicante Bouschet, so that today, the winery farms 550 hectares of vineyards of 30 different grape varieties. 

The 2021 Vinho Regional Peninsula de Setúbal Vinha Da Fonte Reserva is a blend of five grape varieties with Castelão and Cabernet Sauvignon as the dominant players. The percentages are followed by Touriga Nacional, Syrah, and Alicante Bouschet.  It carries the Vinho Regional Peninsula de Setúbal designation which is the former name for the new Peninsula de Setúbal IGP. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel vats and aged for 9 months in French oak separately before blending.  This is a very intriguing wine, ripe fruit and yet rustic, with hints of wood and approachable tannins.  Give me a plate of sausages at an outdoor Lisbon street fair. 

*Palmela has its own DOC which primarily covers red wines made from Castelão.

Old Growth Orchard Ciders from British Columbia's Lonetree Cider

This month I received three ciders through the BevFluence® New Perspectives on Cider, Perry, and Brandy campaign that's from an interesting source. These are Canadian ciders, and more specifically, old-growth orchard ciders, from Lonetree Cider.

Lonetree Cider is located in British Columbia and was introduced to us through Cider Canada / Cidre Canada. They use solely B.C. grown fruit from family orchards within the Kelowna region of the Okanagan Valley. In fact, their grower cooperative is composed of 500 family orchardists who may have had to uproot the orchard in favor of more lucrative vineyards if not for Lonetree. and these ciders help subsist these orchards. The cidery also chose to emphasize the Old Growth aspect of these orchards as the label signifies that many of these trees are over 80 years old.

Authentic Dry Apple Cider
This dry cider is made from a blend of old-world cider apples, such as Belle de Boskoop and Bramley, then fermented with table apples; MacIntosh, Spartan, and Golden Delicious. I was planning on sipping with a shot of Campari, as is my usual custom with dry ciders, but the cider was so flavorful I didn't want to waste the savory contents. 

Apple Ginger Cider
This cider is made from apples and real ginger and this Ginger Cider is intense. Intensely ginger. Which translates to "let's use as an ingredient for a cocktail". One of my favorite cocktails calls for equal parts ginger beer and grapefruit juice with a healthy dose of pitorro rum. Tonight I used the Ginger Cider and the earthy Three Rum Estate Rhum Agricole from Louisiana. This makes a funky and refreshing cocktail. An old-growth, cane-to-glass cocktail.

Apple Rhubarb Cider
Apples and rhubarb. Now, being from the Mid-Atlantic, I'm really not sure what rhubarb tastes like. What I can say, is this cider provides a tasteful combination of apples and red berries with tartness and acidity to lift the sugars. And it does pair nicely with Buc-ees Cherry Maple beef jerky. 

Sage Bird Ciderworks Pommeau and Ashmead's Kernel for #openthatciderbottle

When I heard that the American Cider Association's Open That Cider Bottle was returning on February 25, 2023, I leveraged a trip to Harrisonburg to visit Sage Bird Ciderworks and see what would be a  worthy cider to open that night. I love this cidery's Age Old Apples series showcasing heirloom apple varieties and have written previously about their Harrison and Virginia Hewe's Crab ciders.  Black Twig and Dabinett were two other ciders in the heirloom series but I decided on a new apple variety to me: Ashmead's Kernel. 

Ashmead's Kernel is an old English russet apple that originated from a seed planted around 1700 by Dr. Thomas Ashmead in Gloucester, England. The apple is lumpy, misshapen, and rather small with green and golden-brown skin, and a distinct crisp, nutty snap.  Interestingly, Ashmead's Kernel is one of a few apple varieties from the Old World that succeeded in the New World.  "When the first settlers arrived in North America they brought with them tried and tested varieties from Europe, yet few adapted to the very different climates of North America and most of the early successful American apple varieties were chance seedlings that evolved in America.  However Ashmead's Kernel did thrive, and today holds a position of respect on both sides of the Atlantic..". -- Orange Pippen

The tasting notes from Sage Bird Ciderworks remark that the Ashmead's Kernel is dry and tart with a moderate body and crisp finish. Notes of champagne, citrus, ripe apple, and green grape. Check back after the 25th for our descriptors. 

I also noticed that Sage Bird produces a pommeau and had to include that in Open That Cider Bottle. Pommeau is a French-inspired cordial that’s made by blending unfermented cider with apple brandy (traditional Calvados).  The percentages are usually two-thirds apple must (unfermented apple juice) to one-third apple brandy in order to ensure that the resulting mixture has 16–18% alcohol by volume (abv). The potion is then usually finished in oak for at least one year. 

Long Night is their winter pommeau made from a light fermentation of a blend of Harrison and Dabinett apples and eau de vie (un-aged brandy) distilled from their Dry River Reserve distillery. According to the cidery,  the blending "arrests fermentation, leaving a naturally sweet yet high alcohol and stable mixture. We then age this mixture in freshly-dumped bourbon barrels from A Smith Bowman in Fredericksburg for a minimum of 12 months. The result is a wonderfully complex fortified dessert apple wine. Strong notes of stewed apple, butterscotch, caramel, vanilla, berry, and brandy on the nose and palate with a natural assertive sweetness, balanced tannin, and warming alcohol".  Can't wait to open it. 

Check back next week for updates on Open That Cider Bottle and hope to see these and other ciders participating in the BevFluence New Perspectives on Cider, Perry, and Brandy campaign.

Update: The Ashmead's Kernel is very dry and tart and sour. Not a lot of tannins, just fresh acidity, and limes & mint. A bit funky.  The Long Night is beautiful with fresh juicy apple juice complimented by a fuller brandy-driven profile with a lengthy satisfying finish. 

Five Takeaways from CiderCon 2023

The American Cider Association's CiderCon 2023 took place in Chicago from February 1st through the 3rd and the event offered "a full range of educational sessions covering topics that included cider production, marketing, sales, branding, sensory evaluation, compliance, business strategy, and orcharding". We attended several of these sessions as well as the trade show, a tasting organized by the New York Cider Association, unofficial cider shares, as well as visiting a couple of local craft beverage establishments. Here are our five takeaways from the conference.

Consistent and Systemic Approach to Tasting Cider
Cideries and reviewers should create a systemic approach to both cider tasting and descriptors as advocated by Richie Brady in A Proposal for a Systematic Approach to Tasting Cider. In other words, the industry should use a consistent method of describing the aromas, flavors, and structure of cider. This consistency involves focusing on the liquid in the glass, preferably in a blind fashion, without any preconceived expectations. Evaluate the Aroma (light, medium, pronounced), Flavor (in terms of major categories -- green, stone, citrus, tropic, red, and black fruit and then secondary flavors due to fermentation methods and oak treatments), and Structure (intensity, sweetness, acidity, tannin, length, and complexity). Finally, use descriptors that consumers understand. Barely anyone knows what cassis tastes like so use a more common alternative. An example that Brandy provided is "Lightly sparkling, sweet and vibrant cider with pronounced flavors of stone and tropical fruit, fragrant flowers, sweet vanilla, and caramel. Long and complex finish".

Fire Blight
Apple and pear orchards are prone to numerous pests and diseases not unlike grapevines -- such as a shared threat from powdery mildew and deer. At the conference, I also heard orchardists discuss groundhogs, rabbits, squirrels, and various insects but it was during The 4 Components of Flavor: Orcharding for High-Flavor Fruit seminar presented by Stina Booth that I first heard of Fire Blight. This is a bacterial illness that affects fruit trees and thrives in hot, humid climates, usually appearing in the spring and declining as dryer summer temperatures occur. The bacteria infects trees undetectably in the fall or winter, hiding in branches and unopened buds. Then in the spring, it begins to emerge through openings in the branches and foliage and becomes apparent. Unfortunately, fire blight is very difficult to treat effectively, and overusing certain bacterial sprays can cause the tree to develop resistance to treatment. The best way to fight fire blight is prompt pruning and sanitizing tools. -- MinneopaOrchards.com

Chicago Cider Scene
The conference coincided with Chicago Cider Week and two urban cideries hosted several events and were accessible during the conference. The Right Bee Cider Semi-dry Cider was available at a couple of spots at the host Chicago Hilton hotel and was a clean cider sweetened with honey from their own beehives. Their Dry Cider was also poured during an unofficial tasting and as I recall packed plenty of flavors. I was able to visit Eris Brewery and Cider House where the brewery is located in a historic old masonic temple that was renovated in 2018. I started with the Eris Cherish, a cherry cider produced in collaboration with Sleeping Village and the CIVL Foundation where the proceeds go towards providing music venue workers access to mental health awareness. I also turned to another collaboration, this time the Eris Apfelort which is a dry cider aged in used Jeppson's Malört barrels from CH Distillery. I had read about this wormwood-based digestif and how CH Distillery had purchased this "astringent and notoriously bitter 70-proof liqueur". The cider is neither and provides apples up front and subtle wormwood and a strong grapefruit finish.

Cider is North American
Just by casually talking to attendees it's easy to see that cider is produced throughout North America. We met producers and orchardists from north Georgia to Manitoba, across Canada, and from Nova Scotia to San Diego. I stood in line with a startup producer from Orlando and a representative from Bold Rock. I sat at tables with producers from Wisconsin, Oregon, and Tennessee and shared Michigan cider with the same from Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Ohio. The New York Cider Association hosted a tasting showcasing Empire State producers from the "Niagara Frontier to the Finger Lakes to the Catskills to the Hudson Valley to Long Island and to New York City". During unofficial cider shares, I sampled excellent cider from Washington State and Washington DC as well as from to. And my favorite cider of the week came from Greenbench Mead & Cider in St. Petersburg, Florida with their Giants in the Sky (Fresh-pressed Kingston Black, St Edmund's Russet, Pioneer, and Wickson Crab apples, wild-fermented in oak with native yeast.).

Cider is for Everyone
This is the official theme of the American Cider Association but is also a true statement based on industry analysis presented in the Alcohol Beverages and Cider: 2023 and Beyond and More Than a Beverage: Cider Category Performance sessions. Presenters from both sessions showed industry and consumer data beneficial and discouraging for the cider industry. First, the total per capita consumption of ethanol has remained relatively constant for the past 20 years with beer being the largest, albeit, slowly declining sector. The volume of cider sold peaked in 2016 and slowly declined since - losing market share and shelf space to Hard Seltzers and to a lesser extent RTDs. The good news is that the average alcohol consumer is becoming "Omnibibulous" a term created by Bart Watson, the Head Economist of the Brewers Association to describe how consumers are more "able and likely to drink almost anything (alcoholic)". And this group will continue to grow as younger consumers continue to experiment, and on the other hand, the baby boomers move into more leisurely lifestyles. Other facts based on consumer studies point to avenues where cideries can focus to attract customers. These studies show that 54% of all consumers have made a purchase in-store of a brand they first tried at a restaurant and 1/3 of cider consumers prefer a sweet version. Some ideas to consider.