Solera Pommeau - 2024 Release

Fruit
100% Virginia Hewe’s Crab

Site
Countryside Farm & Nursery - Augusta County, 1260’ elevation
Foggy Ridge - Dugspur, Carroll County, Virginia 2720’ elevation

Vinification
The process of making this pommeau started in the 2019 vintage, when three barrels of Virginia Hewe’s Crab cider were reserved for distillation taking place in the summer of 2020. The resulting brandy was aged for one year in a combination of a Hungarian oak 40L barrel and glass carboys. In the fall of 2021, freshly pressed Virginia Hewe’s juice was blended with a mixture of predominately aged brandy with a small portion of un-aged 2021 distillate as well. This process stabilizes the juice, preventing fermentation and dropped the alcohol of the brandy from 60-70% to a calculated 18%. This effort is performed each year, adding to the complexity of our pommeau solera. Each subsequent year we remove half of the aged wine and replace it with fresh. This year’s blend is comprised of 23% 2021, 23% 2022, 45% 2023, and 9% 2024. 

Notes
In 2024 we made the decision to double the size of our barrel solera. In doing so, we reserved most of the incoming, fresh 2024 pommeau for the solera and this year’s release focuses more aged components from the ’21-23 vintages. The resulting blend showcases a little more wood and influence of the aging brandy while still finding harmony with its soft, caramel fruit qualities. It is our belief that using the juice of VHC allows us to achieve this, a juice that is often the most concentrated and flavorful off the press. Although it is common practice to simply cryo-concentrate more affordable juice in order to accomplish this, the purist in us prefers the selection of the right varietal to do the work. Enjoy this bottle with friends over the holidays or savor it all to yourself as it will hold up just fine for over a month in the refrigerator. 

237 Bottles Produced, Alc. 18% by Volume, 500ml