<div>John Wurdeman studied music and art before becoming a winemaker in the country of Georgia. His winery, Pheasant&#039;s Tears, has revived an 8,000-year-old Georgian winemaking tradition. He tells Melissa Clark what brought him there, the myriad varieties of Georgian wines, and the integral part they play in that country&#039;s meals. </div>

Reviving an 8,000-year-old winemaking tradition in Georgia

Tasting Foggy Ridge Serious Cider with cidermaker Diane Flynt at the Foggy Ridge Cidery in Dugspur, Virginia in February 2017

Foggy Ridge Serious Cider
750ml • 7% alcohol by volume
• Rated No.1 in a New York Times panel tasting of American dry ciders
• Contains traditional English cider apples Tremlett’s Bitter and Dabinett, and American aromatic heirlooms Grimes Golden and Newtown Pippin
• Rich apple and citrus aroma 
• Bright, dry and lively
• Creamy mid-palate
• Full-bodied, soft minerality 
• Focused acidity
• Textured, dusty tannin
• Long, pleasant, dry finish 
• Pairs well with rich, high-fat foods and creamy cheeses

Hear the whole story at http://cidersessions.com

Foggy Ridge Cider

Foggy Ridge Serious Cider

Tasting Foggy Ridge Serious Cider

Alpenfire Glow Rosé Hard Cider
750ML • 8.2% alcohol by volume
• Winner Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition Chairman’s Award and Best of Show (2016)
• Two-time winner Sip NW Best of the Northwest Silver Single Varietal (2016 and 2015)
• Semi-sweet, unfiltered and bottle-conditioned
• Rosé blush and unique flavor profile achieved entirely from the single-varietal Hidden Rose™, aka Aerlie Red Flesh apple
• Crisp, bright acidity with tropical fruit aroma

We taste the cider with the cidermakers and orchardists: Bear, Nancy and Philipe Bishop

Hear the whole story at http://cidersessions.com

Glow Rosé Hard Cider

Tasting Alpenfire Glow Rosé Hard Cider

Alpenfire Spark! Semi-Sweet Hard Cider
750ML • 8.90% alcohol by volume
• Winner Sip NW Best of the Northwest Silver Traditional Apple (2016)
• Winner GLINTCAP Bronze Common Cider (2014)
• Semi-sweet, unfiltered and bottle-conditioned
• Blend of classic cider apples Vilberie, Dabinette, Brown Snout, and heirloom apples Melrose, Kings, Gravenstein, Winter banana, Burgundys, and Mutsu
• Lively acidity with notes of Amaretto and fresh-baked pie
• Expansive finish

We taste the cider with the cidermakers and orchardists: Bear, Nancy and Philipe Bishop

Hear the whole story at http://cidersessions.com

Cider Sessions

Tasting Alpenfire Spark! Semi-Sweet Hard Cider

Alpenfire Pirate’s Plank Bone Dry Organic Hard Cider
500ML • 7% alcohol by volume
• Winner GLINTCAP Gold English Cider (2014)
• Named Best Cider in the Northwest by Northwest Brewing News (2010)
• Dry, unfiltered, tannic and textured Scrumpy-style cider, in the manner of England's West Country
• Blend of classic cider apples Kingston Black, Foxwhelp, Yarlington Mill and Muscadet de Dieppe grown in the Alpenfire Orchard
• USDA certified organic
• Bottle-conditioned and barrel aged
• Herbaceous, mineral characteristics reminiscent of Chablis
• Pairs well with spicy foods, rich meats and cheeses

We taste the cider with the cidermakers and orchardists: Bear, Nancy and Philipe Bishop

Hear the whole story at http://cidersessions.com

Pirate's Plank Bone Dry Organic Hard Cider

Tasting Alpenfire Pirate's Plank Bone Dry Organic Hard cider

Alpenfire Ember Bittersweet Organic Hard Cider
750ML • 7.25% alcohol by volume
• Winner GLINTCAP Bronze French Style Cider (2014)
• Off-dry and unfiltered
• 100% late-season bittersweet cider apples Vilberie, Dabinett, Yarlington Mill, and Brown Snout grown in the Alpenfire orchard
• USDA certified organic
• Natural effervescence achieved through bottle conditioning
• Well-balanced apple-forward complexity with subtle caramel notes
• Pairs well with chicken and seafood

We taste the cider with the cidermakers and orchardists: Bear, Nancy and Philipe Bishop

Hear the whole story at http://www.cidersessions.com/

Ember Bittersweet Organic Hard Cider

Tasting Alpenfire Ember Bittersweet Organic Hard Cider

Castle Hill Cider 2015 Serendipity
750ml • 7% ABV• ~2% residual sugar
• Winner Virginia Governor’s Cup Silver Medal 2017
• Medium single varietal of 100% Albemarle Pippin cider apples pressed at peak ripeness
• Light sweetness achieved through arrested fermentation
• Mildly astringent with characteristic Albemarle varietal notes, including grapefruit, tangerine, and lime zest
• Fresh, fruit-forward, approachable

Tasting Castle Hill Cider Serendipity

when my son was little he used to make up these songs while playing guitar, mandolin and drums.  It was mostly just rhythm (he's a drummer now), but the songs are pretty deep for being spur of the moment compositions.

Joe-Henry's First

WhenINeedYou

WhenIwasblue5.2

2016 Dragon’s Head Harvest Perry • 750ML • 7.1% ABV • 0.4% RS • Limited run: Only 33 cases produced • Dry, lightly effervescent, hazy straw hue • Blended Hendre Huffcap perry pears and 100 year old homesteader seedling pears unique to Vashon Island • A share of the blend is aged 9 months in a French oak pear brandy barrel • Resinous pine and pear skins, with a hint of brandy on the nose • Honey, confectionary, tartness, pomelo rind, and subtle pear on the palate • Medium-bodied mouthfeel with a slightly astringent lingering finish

Hear the whole story at cidersessions.com

Tasting Dragon's Head Harvest Perry

Recorded on February 13, 2018, for Poem-a-Day, a series produced by the Academy of American Poets. www.poets.org

Tasting Foggy Ridge Serious Cider

bittersweet and sharp

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