Back from Hiatus
I didn't expect to be on hiatus this long, but then again we don't always expect the unexpected. Originally work got busy and I figured I'd have a little more time in the new year, then I didn't because I was busy being a caregiver for a family member. Care giving is hard and one of the best things you can do for yourself is self-care, which is harder than it sounds. Part of my self-care is making sure I continue to do the things I love like drinking and writing about wine even if I can't do it as much as I'd like.
On to what we all read this for-wine, or in this case cider. A couple weeks ago I had the honor of going to a dinner hosted by Cider Brother II, Paul Scotto. Scotto Wine and Cider is a great little wine & cider tasting room in Lodi that showcases both their wine and their cider. I was lucky enough to be invited to a dinner they hosted at Fish & Farm in San Francisco by Liza of BrixChix. The dinner also featured Becca of the Gourmez, Nannette of Wine Harlots, Thea of Luscious Lushes and a few others.
Like wine, people hold per-conceptions and prejudices about cider, the most common being "It's too sweet!". Well William Tell cider (one of the brand names under the Scotto Cellars cider umbrella has proved this to be just a myth with their bone dry apple cider. It has 0% residual sugar and only 5 carbs in a 16 oz can but this cider is about more than nutritional facts it's about the fact that its unique and stands out. It's acidity and light carbonation make it incredibly food friendly. I particularly enjoyed it with oysters.
But for those that do like your cider a bit sweeter, I'd recommend you check out their Apple Grigio cider. I was surprised by how much of the Pinot Grigio you could pick up in the nose of the cider, but it makes sense because the Cider Brothers know their wine in addition to their cider. Although the Pinot Grigio is sweeter than the bone dry cider it isn't overwhelmingly sweet, and also pairs well with food like fried chicken.
Over the night I also got to taste a Cranberry Spice cider (available exclusively at the tasting room), a Blueberry Zinfandel Cider that pleasantly reminded me of a Prairie Berry wine, a Mango Muscat cider and a Mead wine. I'll admit, I hold some prejudices about Mead, but not anymore. Its hard for me to describe the Mead because it was so unique. There was some sweetness, but again the sweetness wasn't overwhelming but more subtle and nuanced. I feel a mead post in my future.
Big thanks to Scotto for hosting me and check out the photos below.
