Review of Salt Spring Wild Cider’s Semi-Dry.  It is my first time trying anything from this cidery.

Cider:  Semi-Dry
Cidery:  Salt Spring Wild Cider
Cidery Location:  Salt Spring Island, B.C., Canada
ABV:  6.8%
How Supplied:  750ml bottles
Style:  Canadian craft cider from heirloom apples

  

Availability:  In B.C. Canada, such as in Salt Spring, Pender, Victoria, Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and Okanagan Valley (see here)

Cider Description:  Our ciders are made with the wild apples and pears that grow on Salt Spring Island, and with apples from regional organic orchards.  We never add any water. Our process involves slow-fermenting single varieties and allowing each to mature until it has fully developed. The ciders are then carefully blended for complexity and depth of flavor; our Dry and Semi-Dry ciders are each blends of over 10 different apple varieties!  While the blending process is crucial (and arduous), the special character of our cider is due to the wealth of heritage cider apples that grow on Salt Spring, and to our commitment to making fully organic ciders.  In general, you’ll find that we tend to make our ciders quite dry, with delicate flavors (including our berry and plum ciders), and that’s the way we like them!

Cidery Description:  Crafted from handpicked Salt Spring Apples, this refreshing cider brings just a touch of sweetness to brighten up your day. Light-hearted citrusy notes are offset by earthy undertones, making this a well balanced cider that’s great for any occasion. Viva la Cidré!

They have a tasting room on Salt Spring Island.

Price:  $14.19 CAN (~$11.28 USD)
Where Bought:  Liquor Express in Victoria B.C.
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  Browsing, while we were in port during a cruise

First Impression:  Medium straw yellow hue.  Very low carbonation.  Smells of acidic heirloom apples and citrus.

Tasting Notes:  On the drier side of semi-dry.  Light to medium bodied.  Moderate tartness.  High acidity.  Hints of tannins and bitterness.  No sourness or funk.  Notes of baked apple, lemon, herbs, and straw.  Moderate apple flavor, complexity, and sessionability.  Low to moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion:  I liked it.  However, it was fairly simple and more acidic than I prefer.  I was hoping for a bit of cider apple flavor based on the bottle label description, but I just picked up the heirloom apples.  I’d recommend this for folks who like drier acidic unflavored ciders, but want something a bit more complex than the more commonly found ciders from dessert apples.

Most Similar to:  Wandering Aengus Cellar Door, Montana Ciderworks Spartan Dry-Style, and Seattle Cider Washington Heirloom

 Closing Notes:  Salt Spring has a large lineup of ciders I’d be interested in trying if I spot them on a future trip to B.C.

Have you tried Salt Spring Wild Cider?  What did you think?