Castle Hill Cider has earned a silver medal for Levity, one of its flagship offerings. The international competition, Drink Outside the Grape, recognizes high-quality, locally grown fruit wines from as far as India and Israel.
A unique method is used to make Levity. Castle Hill is the first producer in the United States to import and utilize qvevri, a terracotta vessel submerged underground to maintain cold temperatures. To create Levity’s unique effervescence and flavor profile, pressed juice ferments in the clay pots for three months, then is bottled for continued fermentation to create natural sparkle.
Qvevri are the oldest known fermentation vessels dating back 8,000 years to the country of Georgia. Traditionally, lids are sealed with clay and fern. At Castle Hill, lids are sealed with a closed-cell foam to avoid contamination.
“This is a small batch cider because of the intricate process of using the terracotta pots, ” Cidermaker Stuart Madany says. “Because qvevri do not have a drain, water is pumped out for cleaning. Smaller vessels are cleaned with a brush while larger vessels require us to climb inside. We clean the vessels without chemicals and they are relined with beeswax as needed to seal natural pores in the clay.”
Levity is a blend of ten Virginia grown apples including Harrison Albemarle Pippin, and Winesap. Produced since 2010, the 2017 vintage brings aromas of caramel, lemon zest, black cherry, almond and guava. In the mouth, it is very full bodied with both astringent and bitter tannins, flavors of honey and tangerine and a very fresh preserved lemon finish and has an ABV of 7.9%
About Castle Hill Cider
Castle Hill Cidery, which opened its doors in 2011, resides on 600 beautiful acres in the historic Virginia countryside in Keswick, just outside of Charlottesville. The land once belonged to the Castle Hill estate, which was built in 1764 and hosted seven U.S. presidents, along with many other luminaries, including dignitaries, explorers, and artists. Castle Hill was originally the home of Colonel Thomas Walker, guardian and mentor to Thomas Jefferson. The estate was the first place in Albemarle County to plant Albemarle Pippin apples, which became a major export for the region. We continue Castle Hill’s creative legacy today with our orchard ciders, handcrafted on this treasured and historical landscape.
Stuart Madany began restoring the historic property in his previous role as an architect in 2009, Stuart learned of the region’s cider-making potential, a perfect match to a lifelong curiosity for the craft. Today, as cidermaker, Stuart pays tribute to Cider Hill’s rich history in every bottle through thoughtful curation and a commitment to stewardship.
This article was provided by Kevin Clay and photos Credited to Amelia Eliza.