You know enough about wine to order what you like. But if you’re new to cider, it can be tricky to know what bottle you’ll enjoy. Luckily, your favorite wine can help you find your next favorite cider.
We’ve made it easy for you, by offering cider recommendations based on popular wines… Perhaps you’ll find and fall in love with something new — fine cider!
If you love Sauvignon Blanc…
Sauvignon Blanc is tremendously popular with cider drinkers and vice versa, because this wine is all about juicy acidity. Just like some of the best heritage ciders, Sauvignon Blanc is often elegant, aromatic and bright. If this is your go-to wine order, we suggest trying Orchard Hill's Verde, bright, crisp & zingy. Dive into notes of zest and grapefruit with a floral aroma and zippy finish.
If you fancy Pinot Gris…
Pinot Gris can vary depending on the region, but its combination of spicy and fruity notes makes it easy to translate to cider. If this is your favorite wine, we recommend trying a bone dry still cider like South Hill’s Pomme Sur Lie. It has a silky mouthfeel and a balance of fruit aromas and spicy notes that you'll love.
If you adore Chardonnay….
If you can’t get enough Chardonnay with its oaky toasty butteriness, Snowdrift Cider’s Barrel-Aged Cornice will wow you. This cider is aged in American oak, which gives it a beautiful rounded character that balances notes of peaches, vanilla and caramel along with just a bit of subtle sparkling bubbles.
If you heart Cabernet Sauvignon…
Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, bold wine with earthy tannins and substantial body. If you’re a Cab Sauv lover, you’ll want a cider that has some heft to it, making Tilted Shed's New England Style Barrel-Aged Cider the ideal pick. This is a luscious and robust cider, dry yet full bodied with notes of peaches, apple peel and oak.
If you prefer Pinot Noir…
There is something enchanting about delicate red wines. Some of the most deliciously complex Pinot Noirs have fruity and earthy notes with a medium body. If Pinot Noir is your jam, we suggest trying Spark Heirloom Blend Cider by Alpenfire. It’s a medium dry, well-rounded cider that treats drinkers to twiggy and apple-y flavors.
If Syrah makes you smile…
If you love Syrah, for its peppery, jammy possibilities, a single-varietal cider might be the perfect sip for you. Most ciders are a blend, because a single apple often does not provide all the characteristics that a great cider needs. But the famous Kingston Black is unique and makes stunning single varietal ciders. Slyboro’s Kingston Black shows off soft tannins in a beautifully still, nuanced, juicy yet dry cider!
If Merlot is your must-have…
There’s something luxurious and velvety about Merlot, so you’ll want a still cider with a fantastic richness. Liberty Ciderworks’ Manchurian Crabapple SV is just such a cider because it has tremendous body but also the intriguing fruitiness unique to crabapples. It makes for a decadent yet graceful glass. Give it a try.
If you always go for Champagne…
People say that nothing suits a celebration like Champagne, but there are some ciders that do too! Toast with a dry, happily bubbly cider made in the same fermentation method as champagne. We recommend South Hill Cider’s Packbasket Sparkling because it is dry and elegant while the foraged apples that make it create an untamed quality that's brought out by its intense bubbles. Cheers!
If you swoon for Prosecco…
This Italian sparkler has a huge following all over the world because of its heavenly aromas and that classic bubble. If you’re a fan, try Redbyrd Orchard Cider’s Celeste Sur Lie. It’s super dry and creamy due to the long aging process. A show stopper and a crowd-pleaser in one bottle. De-lightful!
