Our First Year with True Cider Apples

I think this was the Dabinette from last summer.

 

Older Trees, dessert apples and our honey bees

More dessert apples




We're gearing up for our 2015 year.  Today I racked most all of the whites, including the Apple Wine, the Hard Knocks (apple with honey and herbs), our Estate White Pyments ( Riesling/Gurwertriner (sp) blend and the White Foch, each with honey) and the Muscat with Honey.  They're all coming along nicely.  I included some pix of the apple trees from last summer.  It was our first year to get a small amount of apples off our European cider apple trees.  We have 7 different kind we are growing.  I can tell especially in the straight Apple Wine the difference it made in the character and mouth feel of the wine.  In some of the photos you may see some small blemishes on some of the fruit.  Though we're not certified organic, we do choose not to use chemicals on the apples.  The apples do just great for cider.  The Hard Knocks is smoothing out nicely.  I played around with carbonating the Hard Knocks and I may still do a small lot, but I think I personally like it better with out carbonation and at room temperature, it shows off the beautiful "nose" of the wine better.

Leaning Star Winery offers small batches of handcrafted wines.  Our winery is located on the outskirts of Gresham, Oregon, a short jaunt to the freeways in all directions. Learn more about Leaning Star Winery or send us an email and contact us.