This week we had the royal pleasure of enjoying King Baldwin, a nearly-dry cider from Bellwether Hard Cider. King Baldwin is a blend of two old apple varieties- the big and beautiful Tompkins King and the Baldwin, a much-loved variety from the 1800s.
In the glass, this light-straw colored cider had a lovely bead of fine bubbles. On the nose we found familiar yet gentle notes of tart apple skin and spring flowers with very light yeast notes. On the palate, The King is crisp with acidity yet round enough to please with a very small amount of residual sugar. The finish is gently-tart and dry, inviting frequent sipping. The cider is clean and delicate and receives its carbonation from an injection of CO2 at the time of bottling. Our reviewer accidentally drank the entire bottle paired with a roasted delicata squash soup and crusty bread from Wide Awake Bakery.
This hard cider would easily partner with rich pork dishes, turkey breast and all the fixings or caramelized root vegetables. It weighs in at 6.9% alcohol.
Established in 1999, Bellwether’s tasting room is located at 9070 Route 89 in Trumansburg, NY. Their family-made wine and ciders are distributed throughout the Finger Lakes, Manhattan, and outer boroughs. Their cider can also be found on tap in select Finger Lakes restaurants, bars and taprooms
