Petite Cider 2022

Site 
75% - Hidden Valley Warm Springs, Virginia 1800’
-Planted by the forest service in the mid 1990s alongside the Warkwickton Manor spring house. Unsprayed.
25% - Oakley Farm - Warm Springs, Bath County Virginia 2400’ elevation 
-High-density orchard on G11 rootstock planted in 2019 located in the ‘hay field’, site of the farm’s original 19th century orchard planted by the Francisco family. 
-Soil composition: Hayter loam on top of Ordovician limestone.
-Practicing regenerative organic farming. Bio-intensive rotation of poultry and sheep, rotational cover crops within drip lines. No use of heavy metal sprays, no cultivation. Biannual biological mowing only.

Fruit
100% Virginia Hewe’s Crabapple

Vinification
Fruit was harvested in early September, nearly two weeks later than other VHC sites at lower elevations in Virginia. All fruit was directly pressed to a neutral French oak barrel. An uninoculated, native primary fermentation carried through to October when the cider went through a native, full malolactic secondary fermentation. The cider rested in barrel undisturbed until early May 2023 when it was racked off its gross/fine lees and bottled still. Bottles were rested for an additional 12 months before release. No additions of SO2 were made at any stage of this wine.

Notes
We have produced a Petite cider every vintage since 2018 and it holds a special place in our hearts for many reasons. In a country where a lot of cider is inherently either sparkling & sweet or overly dry and one-dimensional, Petite has never been either. When untethered, Virginia Hewe’s Crab has the potential to offer plush body and uniquely expressive aromatics that few other domestic cider varietals can. Over the years we have worked with the varietal grown in four, distinctly different locations and have found its best expression is at higher elevation. In 2022 for the first time we decided to blend the lower elevation sites into the House cider, focusing the Petite on a purer, mountain expression. The resulting cider is not shy. Upon opening, buckets of butterscotch hit from the nose to the pallet with a great length in flavor. As the cider opens up, the aroma settles in to a more focused, orange blossom floral tone. After such a lush pop, the acid surprises at the end. Subtle tannin balances out the roundness. 

24 cases produced, 9.11% Alc. by Volume, 750ml