From farm stand to fermenter, Soquel Cider was born of the Everett Family Farm in Soquel, California, in 2013. The certified-organic farm grows fruit, vegetables and flowers across its 45 acres, peppered with pasture-raised chickens heralded for their eggs and a number of heirloom apple trees. Cidermaker and family member Laura Everett took up the fermenting baton after planting heirloom trees and taking the cider course through Washington State University in 2008. Her namesake orchard blend cider recently took home a win from the 2019 Good Food Awards.
Another offering from the small-batch, female-run cidery is the Apple Persimmon. Vividly aromatic of golden fruits — yellow apple and honeyed persimmon, of course, plus faint notes of apricot — these characteristics mesh with baking spices and a yeasty overtone, almost like an unbaked apple tart. Round fruit flavor pulls through the mid-palate with some funk, yeast and farmhouse apple following in the dry finish. Try pairing with a blue cheese-and persimmon-stuffed pork tenderloin to match the funk-fruit combo.
