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With sweeping vineyards and majestic fruit tree orchards adorning its pastoral hills, Summerland, from it’s past to present, has been rooted in agriculture. In the past decade, it has been the grapes that have been in the limelight with the popularity of Bottleneck Drive wines. Now this quaint community is growing in admiration for it's drink of fermented apple juice: cider.
The apples we pack in our lunches and enjoy as snacks are called “dessert apples” – too sweet for cider. Out of the 100 varieties of cider apples, each cider maker has their favourite apples reserved for pressing into fermentable juice. The apples are racked, pressed and then they ferment in large tanks. They are then pressed again and left to age slowly for months at a time.
Summerland's cider scene is hot with craft cider companies; Dominion Cider Co, Summerland Heritage Cider Co and Nomad Cider. Just like wine, your palate for cider is only matured by tasting.
Started in 2012, Summerland Heritage Cider Company’s cider apple crop was quite small in our first two years of production but more of their young apple trees are coming into bearing. They now offer you two new cider blends – Porter’s Dry and Sweet Paradise, each at 7+% alc. Their Tuesday’s Original is a modern take on classic English cider. A blend of cider and eating apples, this gently sparkling, off-dry cider is rich in flavour with soft tannins and a lingering finish. 7.7% alc.
From branch to bottle, Dominon Cider Co does everything by hand at their farm in Summerland: from picking apples and pressing juice, to bottling and drinking it with you at our on-site tasting bar. They offer two ciders, made from heirloom apples; Craft Cider and Dominion Ginger Cider made in collaboration with Dickie’s Ginger.
Named after their desire for endlessly exploring food, drink and culture, Nomad craft cidery is devoted to producing high quality cider made from local Okanagan apples. Their cider, labeled simply Nomad Semi-Dry, is fruit forward and crisp with balanced tannin and acidity. Nomad is crafted with rare heritage cider apples to give it distinct depth and complexity.
The best way to experience the cider companies of Summerland, BC is through the Summerland Waterfront Resort & Spa’s Spring Wanderlust Package or the [Big Apple Fall Getaway package].
Each package includes a self-drive tour of all three cideries, accompanying map which points out great spots to enjoy your packed gourmet picnic lunch.
Also, included in these packages is a bottle of SWR private label wine and a Summerland Sweets jam and syrup gift pack. This spring, getaway to Summerland, Okanagan, BC from $179 for two adults.
Posted March 07, 2017
