When in Apple Country, Drink Cider--Within a 45 Minute Drive of ROC

No one is sure when or where it began or who discovered that fermenting apple juice was delicious, but 3,000 years ago there were apple trees along the Nile River, and the Egyptians were notable beer and wine drinkers. After the Romans found cider in Britain in 55 BC, large scale production really took off.

In early America it was the drink of choice. Benjamin Franklin said, “It’s indeed bad to eat apples; it’s better to turn them all into cider.” William Henry Harrison won the 1840 presidential election as the “Log Cabin and Hard Cider Candidate,” and gave out free cider to his supporters. John Adams started his day with a tankard of cider and lived to be 90 years old.

Yes, there are some health benefits to drinking cider regularly, though, at 3 to 12 percent alcohol, drinking a daily breakfast tankard isn’t recommended in this article. All real cider, hard and not, is produced by crushing whole apples. It contains lots of Vitamin C for the immune system and more antioxidants than tomatoes or green or black tea to fight free radicals. It’s 100 percent juice, unlike processed apple juice at the grocery store; it has no fat or gluten; it has no cholesterol and, in fact, contains pectin which reduces cholesterol. There is no added sugar in real cider, but there is a substantial amount of natural sugar, and one 8-ounce glass is about 110 calories.

Ancient ciders were made with crabapples making them tart and bittersweet. As exploration and trade ensued across Europe and parts east, more common, sweeter apple varieties were shared, cultivated, and utilized to produce this popular alcoholic beverage. Today, with 7,500 varieties of apples available, new generations of family farmers have rediscovered heirloom and cider apples and are also making hard cider from culinary apples like Golden Delicious and Gala.

Rochester is surrounded by multi-generational fruit farms, and many specialize in apples. If they don’t make their own cider, they likely sell to people who do make it, creating opportunities all around us to drink local, smaller production ciders. I recently visited some cideries within a 45-minute drive of the South Wedge and tasted some of their specialties.

For 100 years Schutt’s Apple Mill, 1063 Plank Rd., has been growing apples in Webster. Known for its sweet, fresh-pressed cider, fourth-generation great-grandson Evan Schutt began making hard cider two years ago. Their store has a new, expanded tasting room that also carries other local ciders to try. Schutt’s own Fried Cake cider is “fall” in a glass with familiar seasonal spices over apples and a fried cake flavor finish. This is sweet—a dessert or holiday cider for grown-ups—and made with Ida Reds, Empire, and Rome apples.  Schutt’s more traditional offering is Great Grandpa’s Grog “Relic.” It’s light and refreshing with an off-dry finish. Made from Crispin and Pinata apples, the flavors are more subtle, balanced, and classic, slightly tart.

Also east of Rochester, in Williamson, Rootstock Ciderworks, 3274 Eddy Rd., was founded by David DeFisher in 2012. Rootstock is part of DeFisher Fruit Farms, which harvests 500 acres of orchards and is in its fifth generation of family farmers. The cidery uses all-natural local ingredients and is the first post-Prohibition farmstead cidery in the region. The tasting room is beautiful with an indoor tasting bar and outdoor seating. The 2017 Heritage, made from Rhode Island Greening apples, is fresh with a clear apple taste, a hint of pear, and a slight floral finish. The 2016 Legend Barrel-Aged is made from a blend of heirloom apples and aged for at least a year in French and American oak barrels. It’s whiskey-like in its complexity and character: apples with some dark spice and leather, a fall and winter sipper. The 2017 Rose is a lovely blend of Rhode Island Greening and Cortland apples and the Austrian Blaufrankisch grape (sourced from Leonard Oakes Winery.) Slightly effervescent, it’s wine-like with flavors of strawberry, red berries, and melon with a dry finish.

On the west side of Rochester, Blue Barn Cidery, 928 Manitou Rd. in Hilton, was established in 2017, but is part of a 200-year old family farm business currently known as Green Acres and West Wind Fruit Farms. The facility itself, the Blue Barn, is marketed for weddings and events. On the Sunday I was there, at least three parties were going on simultaneously. There is a large tasting bar that also offers other beverages from area wineries and breweries. I tasted three Blue Barn ciders. The Westcider, a blend of six apples, had a very slight floral note to it, but was otherwise not distinctive. The Jostaberry Jam, which the server said was the most popular cider, was sweet with currant flavors and reminded me of red fruit punch. The Pop the Bubbly cider was supposed to be slightly effervescent and have a “Champagne” quality. Unfortunately, this taster may have been open too long because it was flat and had an unpleasant minerality. Perhaps they are still experimenting with flavors and fermenting, but, overall, these samples lacked the complexity of many other ciders that I’ve tried. 

All three cideries produce all-natural beverages using home-grown and local-grown ingredients, including other fruits from their orchards and farms. For more information, visit their Facebook pages or websites: www.schuttsapplemill.com, www.rootstockciderworks.com,  and www.bluebarncidery.com.

This article appears in the October/November 2019 issue of The WEDGE newspaper

Wine Pick of the Week: March 16, 2016

Young Sommer Winery Lemberger NV (New York)

Young Sommer Winery is a working fruit farm in Williamson, NY, along the Lake Ontario Wine Trail. Their Lemberger is a pretty versatile wine that’s good for a cool evening sipper and paired with foods.

Lemberger’s traditional and official name is Blaufrankisch, or “blue Frankish (a variety of German grape.)” The first record of the grape’s use was in the mid-1800s. However, researchers believe it was most likely grown in Germany as early as the Middle Ages and is native to that region. Today it’s grown throughout the world and, in the United States, in Washington, New York and Ohio.  

The nose on this bottle is cherry and some oak, then a wisp of tobacco. Taste is fruit-forward cherry to an almost buttery feel. It transitions to the tobacco and hint of leather, then plum and a dry finish.

Pair this with corned beef, Italian sausage, charcuterie, and, as we did at a wine dinner, with a hearty minestrone.  

Wine Pick of the Week: February 11, 2016

Mionetto Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut(Italy)

Prosecco is Italy’s sparkling wine offering. Made from the Glera grape (formerly called Prosecco,) it’s light and fresh and lies somewhere in between bone dry Cava and Champagne and sugary sweet Asti Spumante. Speaking of which, prosecco has three different styles: spumante, bubbly; frizzante, light fizz; tranquilo, still or no bubbles at all.

Mionetto is kind of a mainstream, large producer but has been around since 1887.

This week’s pick is spumante and a beautiful pale straw color. Honey comes up through the nose, then I get a waft of vanilla, then caramel.

The beginning of the taste has a bit of pineapple to a green apple flavor, then transitions to that honey and vanilla, ending with caramel. This is not a dry wine, but isn’t terribly sweet. The finish lingers just a little, but it’s clean and refreshing. The price is reasonable (under $15,) and it’s actually quite nice for a large production bottle.

If serving with dessert, do almond cookies or butter cookies, cheesecake, plain cannoli. It would be nice with walnuts or almonds. A soufflé or an omelet would be a nice pairing, too, ham and cheese, fresh vegetables. It would be excellent with broiled or baked whitefish. Think fresh tastes with this wine. 

Wine Pick of the Week: January 28, 2016

La Merika 2012 Pinot Noir (California)

Pinot noir is a versatile wine. The grapes are tricky to grow, needing just the right climate, but once in the bottle the wine produced is compatible with a variety of foods. Quality pinots are not one or two-dimensional, but have the ability to complement and enhance many food flavors.

The La Merika 2012 Pinot Noir comes from Central Coast grapes, earned a gold medal in the 2014 Los Angeles International Wine Competition, and fits in the comfort wine price range ($10-12.)  

It’s a ruby color with just a hint of brown appearing around the rim. The nose gives off an initial slight earthy/oaky wisp, then goes to red berries and cherry. The immediate flavors are fruit and a little oak, mellowing quickly to cherry, then tobacco and coffee or cocoa. This has medium body with soft tannins that transition to a soft mouth for a nice balance. The finish is fruit and a coffee/leather.

I like a Burgundy style pinot noir with less fruit and a little more body than most California offerings. However, Burgundies and Oregon pinots are not, for the most part, budget friendly. This one is a good, affordable option for that style.

The macaroni and cheese pairing brings out spice in the wine, and the fats in the cheese eliminate the tannins. This pairing also softens the fruit and enhances the coffee/leather-type flavors. While true Burgundies could stand up to heavier dishes like beef stew, the lighter California pinots would probably pair better with beef, vegetable or French onion soups. Pair the La Merika with cherries, lighter beef dishes (like beef au jus or beef on weck,) tuna steak, eggplant, goat cheese, bacon, prosciutto.   

Next week, the first wine in the “amore” posts, a romantic wine for St. Valentine’s Day.

Wine Pick of the Week: January 21, 2016

Maison Duhard Baron des Chartrons 2012 Bordeaux (France)

When it comes to value—and who doesn’t need a little break in January?—look for Bordeaux blends. There are many around the $10-12 mark that have characteristics of the larger houses and are good, solid reds for casual dinners and winter fare.  

The Maison Duhard Baron des Chartrons 2012 Bordeaux (Saint-Emilion) is a dark, dark ruby blend of 60 percent Merlot and 40 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a fruity nose with blackberry and leather.

I get the blackberry and a slight taste of cherry at first. It’s a little dry with some heat/spice, then flavors of tobacco and coffee. There’s a little earth in the middle somewhere, too. It makes me think of a library or den or the French countryside on a blustery evening.

This bottle is not a complex Bordeaux, which makes it a good choice for casual fare: burgers, stew, and, yes, grilled cheese. When I tasted this with my grilled cheese sandwich the spice came forward, as did the cherry and blackberry. It’s warm going down, and the tannins cut through the fattiness of the cheese, smoothing everything out. Try it with a burger with bleu cheese and mushrooms. Cab is a classic pairing with bleu cheese, and the mushrooms will bring out some of the spice and earth.

Hungry for grilled cheese?  Check out the “Soul” page here for this month’s “Comfort Food” series. 

Wine Pick of the Week: January 14, 2016

Brazin 2012 Old Vine Zinfandel (California)

For January I’m reviewing some “comfort wines” to go with the comfort foods featured on the “Soul” page. Because most people are budget conscious at the beginning of the year, these wines will be in the $10-$12 range—comfortable for the wallet. Also, at the end of the review, get healthy with tidbits on red wine from an article a friend sent to me, “Red Wine and Your Gut?” by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialis

I love Lodi Zin. If there was ever a “comfort wine,” this is it. The climate in this region heats up the grapes during the day and all but freezes them at night, concentrating the fruit and intensifying the flavors.

Brazin 2012 Old Vine Zinfandel doesn’t disappoint, made from vines 40-100 years old farmed sustainably. The color is dark purple, inky.

On the nose, it’s dark cherry to plum jam and a bit of mocha. The first taste (prepare yourself) is a blast of spice, then cherries, black pepper and that blackberry/plum jam from the nose. It’s warm going down (14.5% alcohol) with cherry flavors settling along the sides of the tongue.

It has a sweetness and light tannins, a smooth finish. This OVZ is powerful but not overpowering. I like it as a sipper, and it’s a bit heady.

Paired with food, it’s better with the moist-style meatloaf rather than the dry. Burgers, steaks, red meat stews—hearty winter fare. Dark chocolate (preferable to milk chocolate) and sea salt cut the spice and brought out more fruit. 

HEALTH NOTE: A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that drinking 1-2 glasses of red wine (not sweet reds) can enhance the conditions for beneficial gut flora (important for metabolism, digestion, immunity, and many other body systems,) and it decreases the bad pathogenic bacteria. (click here for whole article) 

Wine Pick of the Week: January 7, 2016

Lakewood Vineyards 2014 Port (NY)

This month I’ll be pairing the weekly wines with comfort foods, but what comes to mind as a “comfort wine?” Imagine a cold night with the wind howling outside. It’s probably snowing, but inside, settled in front of the fireplace, you pour from a bottle on the side table and sip the warm, sweet taste of port.

The Douro region of Portugal is the third oldest Designated Area of Origin in the world (mid-1700s) and is where Port, the wine, originated. Once British sailors discovered it and brought it back to England, its popularity spread because it held up so well on long journeys. And it tasted good.

Port is my go-to winter weather wine. Its high alcohol content gives you warmth through your system without the harshness of harder stuff—it’s a warm and fuzzy wine. There are many different types of Port, depending on how long it’s aged, where it’s aged, or whether it’s fortified (adding brandy or other liquor.)  

Lakewood Vineyards, in New York’s Finger Lakes, has a nice offering. The 2014 Port is a blend of estate grown Baco Noir (77.5%,) Frontenac (17%,) and Vincent (5.5%.) This one is fortified with grape brandy, also made with estate grown grapes.  

The nose is cherries that move to a blackberry/blueberry aroma. Cherries come to the palate first, too, then there’s a little spice—umm, some black pepper—transitioning to plums and raspberries. The finish is just dry enough to be noticeable. It’s warm, of course, with 18% alcohol content and legs on the glass. It coats the mouth, too, to savor.

Pair this with dark chocolate, but not too sweet. Nuts and bleu cheese would be better. Also raspberries with a plain, again, not to sweet cheesecake.  

Wine Pick of the Week: November 19, 2015

Clayhouse 2011 Malbec  (California)

This is another “crowd-pleasing” wine and not quite as dry as some of the Mendoza Malbecs I’ve tried. Red Cedar Vineyard, the estate, supplies all the grapes for the Clayhouse and Adobe labels. The farm is certified sustainable, and hosts 600 owl boxes for natural pest control.

For our tasting in the park, my friend noted that it both smelled and tasted “fruity” right off the bat. It’s very dark, purple, as is typical of Malbec. The nose is dark fruit with a very light touch of smoke.

Both of us got blackberry and other dark berries, and I detected a bit of leather. This isn’t a complex wine with layers, but it would pair with a mild pepperoni pizza—not too spicy. Something like beef stew or mild chili may also be a good pairing.

Next week, a Paso Cab with a story.  

Wine Pick of the Week: November 12, 2015

Justin Vineyards & Winery 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon (California)

Continuing with the Paso Robles tour, I tasted this Justin Cab and found it much fruitier than I expected. Justin Vineyards and Winery has been in Paso since 1981 and pattern their wines after the Bordeaux style. Justin was recently named Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s 2015 Winery of the Year.

This Cabernet is a dark ruby color with just a tinge of brown. The nose is full of cherry fruit, then wood and leather.

The first taste is cherry, then spice—black pepperish—which transitions to leather and finishes with coffee and cherry and is slightly dry. As mentioned, the wine is a little lighter-bodied and fruitier than some of the Bordeaux Cabs, which might be attributed to the Paso microclimates.

It’s a wine that you can sip or would be a good partner for a juicy beef burger with bleu cheese. It would also be good with beef tips in a wine sauce or chopped sirloin. I don’t think it’s full-bodied enough to stand up to heavier meats.

Next week, a Paso Robles Malbec. 

Wine Pick of the Week: November 5, 2015

Project Paso 2011 Lonely Oak Red (California)

This time last year, I was just about to embark on a cross-country trip with a friend of mine. She was moving back to California and asked me to drive the UHaul truck for her. We decided to forgo the jaunt to Las Vegas and head to Paso Robles instead. This month I’m going to re-visit Paso through four weekly wine picks.

The first is a mainstream red blend, Project Paso 2011 Lonely Oak Red, around the $10-$12 mark. This label is a Sebastiani Family product that features grapes from Paso Robles vineyards. The 2011 blends Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Malbec, Tempranillo, Valdiguie and Grenache.

It looks and sounds heartier than it tastes. The nose is fruity with cherries and berries, the color ruby with a tinge of purple. The first taste note is heavy spice (some black pepper) which transitions right away to tart cherry and berries. There isn’t much more too it—it’s not a “sit and ponder” kind of bottle. Definitely more sweet than dry, but some tannin steps in for an appearance about the same time as the tart cherry.

Drink it with food, particularly grilled pork or pulled pork. Turkey and cranberries would also be complementary because of the tart fruit aspects. 

Wine Pick of the Week: October 28, 2015

Apothic Dark 2014 Red Blend (California)

For dark and stormy nights—or Halloween—this blend is just the thing to turn heebie-jeebies into warm fuzzies. The color is a deep, inky purple that shows highlights of ruby when held to the light. Blackberries and blueberries rise to the nose, a waft of leather and—what’s that? Ahh, cinnamon, a little chocolate.

Fruity transitions to off-dry with a slightly tannic finish. Coffee, spice, blackberries, jammy with a hint of plum—dark flavors swirling around your mouth, then smoothing out. The grapes are part of its mystery but most likely include Syrah, Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Hearty without being monstrous, Dark is drinkable on its own, but would also pair well with a burger, grilled medium rare, maybe with some sautéed mushrooms that crept up from the earth or with some melted bleu cheese, crumbly with moldy veins.

Don’t be afraid to try this one. And at $10-$12, it’s safe to stock up, because once your friends have a sip, you won’t be alone. There’s nothing scarier than running out of wine.  

Wine Pick of the Week: July 27, 2015

DaVinci Wines 2013 Chianti

Maybe Chianti isn’t the quintessential summer wine, but this weekend was the local Italian festival, and my friend Diane Conroy took first place in two categories, “Red Sauce” and “Meatballs.”  She’s awesome.

Anyway, I wanted to drink something Italian besides Prosecco and am revisiting this book I read years ago on creative thinking. The DaVinci Chianti was on sale, so there we go.

Chianti is a dry wine produced in central Tuscany, this near the town of Vinci. In the mid-1800s, Baron Bettino Ricasoli, who later became prime minister of the Kingdom of Italy, determined the recipe for Chianti should be 70 percent Sangiovese, 15 percent Canaiolo and 15 percent Malvasia Bianca, but today’s Chianti is made with a far lesser percentage of white grapes, if any at all. It must, however, include at least 80 percent Sangiovese.

This DaVinci (www.davinciwine.com) is made with 90 percent Sangiovese and 10 percent Merlot. The cooperative Cantine Leonardo da Vinci is made up of 200 local growers, many of which are multi-generational farmers. This offering has cherries on the nose, and I get a sense of leather books. Tasting is fruit up front—more cherries, slight tobacco, hint of leather. It’s hearty and ends with plum jam.

While this bottle isn’t the most complex of wines, it’s nice and is meant to stand up to Italian red sauce pasta dishes and pizza and salumi and country stews of the region. Yum. On a cool fall night, I can see myself sipping a glass in a villa den, surrounded by walls of books, curled up in a chair by the fireplace.