Region: Virginia
Cost: Â $15
Product Notes: Â In the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Wintergreen, Virginia is a cidery overlooking the Rockfish River. Here a custom blend of Virginia apples is crafted to make a premium hard cider with a rounded, full-bodied apple taste. Rich and beautifully effervescent, Crimson Ridge is exceptionally balanced, bringing out the very best in Virginia apples.
My Review:Â At the recent Virginia Wine Expo, my wife and I tried a few hard ciders, in part because she’s a fan of Bold Rock, and also because Virginia’s growing cider production makes it impossible to avoid (not that I want to), and because we’re making some pretty good ciders that are a nice change of pace.
We opened up the Crimson Ridge Vintage Dry with a dinner that included turkey breast, mashed potatoes, and broiled broccoli, all with a tangy sauce on top that featured lemon. The crisp, refreshing flavors of the cider were a nice compliment to the dinner, with the hint of sweetness from the cider balancing out the acidity of the sauce and the creaminess of the mashed potaotes.
That’s not to say that this cider is sweet, it is a dry cider, though not the dryest I’ve had from Virginia, and it was enjoyable both with the food and after it was all gone.
We’re approaching warmer weather, and adding another option for crisp, refreshing drinks that can be enjoyed outdoors with friends is high on my list, making options like the Vintage Dry from Bold Rock a great idea. Definitely worth checking out, especially if you’re looking to add Virginia cider to what you enjoy (which you should).
