Pilton Cider, 'Pomme Pomme', 2022, Somerset

'One-Liner'
Somerset keeved cider meets fragrant quince – naturally fruity, gently sweet and sharpened by a deliciously tart edge.

Tasting Note
Golden amber in the glass, with ripe orchard apple aromas joined by the distinctive floral perfume of quince. The palate is naturally rounded and gently sweet, with juicy bittersweet apple fruit balanced by the quince’s bright acidity and mouth-watering astringency. Soft tannins bring a little grip and structure, preventing the fruit from ever feeling cloying. There is a lovely interplay between mellow apple richness and the fresher, almost citrus-like lift of the quince. Medium-sweet, refreshing and wonderfully individual, with a clean, gently tart finish.

Country: England
Region: Somerset
Sub-Region: Pilton
Grape(s): Apples
ABV: 4.8%
Friendly: Vegan, Vegetarian

Awards & Critics' Scores
n/a

The Story
Pomme Pomme takes Pilton’s traditional Somerset keeved cider and introduces a rather unusual relative of the apple – quince. The 2022 combines 70% bittersweet cider apples with 30% Serbian Gold quince grown in Somerset orchards beside the River Brue. Pilton’s cider fruit comes from traditional orchards, many planted in the 1960s and 70s, where low-yielding bittersweet varieties develop concentrated flavour and tannin. Keeving allows some of the apples’ natural sugar to remain by slowing fermentation without artificial sweetening, and here that soft fruitiness provides the perfect counterpoint to quince’s naturally tart, aromatic and slightly astringent character. The result is unmistakably cider, but with an extra dimension of perfume and freshness that makes Pomme Pomme particularly good with food.

Perfect With... (click me for the recipe)
- Meat/fish: Somerset pork chops with cider, mustard and caramelised apples
- Vegetarian: Roast squash, blue cheese and caramelised onion galette
- Vegan: Roast squash, sage and hazelnut galette with spiced apple chutney