Long before we ever began making wine, the Lightfoot Family has been making cider. Following a tradition handed down from generation to generation, our cider was made and stored in the cellar of the old farmhouse or the barn, brought out to be enjoyed at holidays, family gatherings, and shared with friends.

The term farmhouse stems from traditional cider making days when it was common for cider to be made on a farm from the fruit of an adjacent orchard, in very small batches using timeworn techniques. A philosophy that yields an end product with a strong sense of place, the same way we think about and craft our wines.

We are excited to share this legacy with you with the release of the 2020 Farmhouse Cider. Local apple juice was sourced from Stirling Fruit Farms just down the road, a longstanding tradition rooted in the decades long friendship between the late Don Lightfoot and Ralph Stirling Sr. The 2020 blend contains five different tart and tannic heritage type apple varieties - Jonagold, Golden Russet, McIntosh, Gravenstein, Northern Spy - and 10% Bosc Pear juice. Primary fermentation was with wild yeasts in stainless steel on Scheurebe lees. Secondary fermentation took place in bottle with neutral Champagne yeasts, creating the gentle CO2. Bottled in late January 2021, this cider spent 34 months aging with the lees sediment prior to release. As this bottling is non-disgorged, there is an intentional cloudy yeast sediment in the bottle.

Technical Details

Composition

Jonagold, Golden Russet, McIntosh, Gravenstein, Northern Spy, Bosc Pear

Alcohol

7%

pH

3.95

Total Acidity

3.5 g/L

Residual Sweetness

<2 g/L

Production

2041 Bottles (750 mL)

Tasting Notes

Deep golden in colour in the glass, with toasty, yeasty notes and hints of baking spice, pear purée and white flower. Dry and complex, yet delightfully drinkable.

Service Temperature: 8-10°C

Recommended Drinking: 2023-2026