Beginning in 2021, the annual Virginia Governor’s Cup competition, which traditionally recognizes the best wines in the state, included a separate category for cider. In 2022, the competition awarded 10 gold medals to ciders and Albemarle CiderWorks’ 2019 Hewes Crab won Best in Show. Opened by the Shelton family in 2009, Albemarle CiderWorks is Virginia’s oldest operating cidery. Production has expanded from three types of cider to the current count of 15 different varieties.
The growth of Albemarle CiderWorks parallels the renaissance of cider in Virginia, and its resurgence in the United States. Cider is considered one of the country’s original beverages, brought here from England by the first settlers and produced by several of the founding fathers. While consumption waned as beer and wine became popular, consumer interest has reignited in recent years, resulting in more cideries, more variety, and an increase in the volume of production.
In Virginia, cider falls under the same category as wine for tax purposes, and some of these tax dollars are controlled by the Virginia Wine Board, which uses the money for marketing, research, and other initiatives. As the cider market has grown, Virginia has ramped up promotion of the beverage. These efforts extend to the inclusion of cider in the Governor’s Cup, increased marketing, and the recent expansion of the state-funded Winemakers Research Exchange (see page 16) to include cider in its research and education efforts.
With cider’s inclusion in the Governor’s Cup, the VWB recognized the wine/cider apples and oranges (well, grapes) situation by forming a separate category for cider, and assuring that the cider judges are distinct from the wine judges. This year’s judges panel featured cider enthusiasts, cider makers, cidery owners, and even a certified pommelier. Similar to the better-known sommelier designation for wine, the establishment in 2019 of the pommelier designation is more evidence of cider’s growing importance in the United States.
While a historic beverage rooted in history, cider is still new to many and presents an opportunity to taste, explore, and keep drinking local.
How ‘bout them apples?
The process of tasting cider is similar to tasting wine, but the underlying flavors vary between the source fruit of apples and grapes. Like wine, specific training exists for those who taste cider professionally. These tips let you be the judge.
Glassware: Although you may not drink cider from wine glasses normally, using a wine glass helps distinguish flavors because of its wide bowl and ability to concentrate aromas for evaluation. A larger, thinner bowl will help you swirl cider to bring out subtle aromas.
Temperature: Most people drink cider chilled at colder temperatures, but tasting at slightly warmer temperatures, 55 degrees is suggested, helps bring out flavors and textural components.
Comfort: Take your time. Taste in a well-lit, odor-free environment. Stay hydrated as you taste.
Taste in order: Taste dryer, lighter ciders first and then move on to sweeter, heavier ciders.
Appearance: Look closely at color and clarity. Do you see bubbles? Is the cider watery and thin or full-bodied and syrupy?
Smell: Put your nose in the glass and evaluate the aroma. Can you smell anything, or is the impression intense and pungent? Does it smell like apples, pears, other fruits, flowers, herbs, vanilla, honey, spice? Is it musty?
Taste: Allow the cider to touch all parts of your tongue. Do the flavors match the aromas that you identified? Is the cider sweet, acidic, bitter? If there is sweetness or acidity, is it in balance, or does the cider seem flat or sour?
Mouthfeel: Is it light, like water, or does it feel heavier, like syrup? Does it dry out your mouth or is it creamy?
Length and finish: How do the flavors change and finish? How long does it last?
Overall impression: What is your final evaluation of the cider? Is it pleasant? Is it complex? Is it balanced?
Pairing: Try pairing your favorites with food and see how your impressions change.