Ten minutes with Steve Wood of Farnum Hill
In which he shares his thoughts on fine cider, cider apples, the goodness of cider folk, and his addiction to growing things
“I’m more interested in the effect of the land and the fruit than of the winemaker’s hands. The point is that I grow apples. We’re trying not to add any special ‘technique.’ My cleverness is finding the right fruit and the right land. We want the fruit and the land to sign the bottle.”
I spoke briefly with orchardist and cidermaker Steve Wood after a long day of judging ciders at GLINTCAP 2016. Wood, his wife and business partner Louisa Spencer, and their talented team at Poverty Lane Orchards, are renowned for their Farnum Hill Ciders. Here are a few bite-size highlights from our conversation:
Q. What are the chief characteristics of the ciders that you make at Farnum Hill?
A. What we try to achieve is a combination of…
A. The finish is the hardest thing with cider…
Q. How would you describe the qualities that geography imparts to your cider?
A. Climate is really important: We grow apples on what can be thought of as the dangerous edge of cold…
A. The land matters a lot — every piece of ground imposes conditions…
Q. Which cidermakers do you most admire?
A. I admire people for different reasons — it’s not just falling in love with their cider…
Q. What ciders have you tried recently that really stand out, and why?
A. They’re pretty much ciders by the same people…
Q. What would you be doing if you weren’t making cider?
A: I think I would be growing something…
Thank you, Mr. Wood, for your time and for your remarkable cider.
Cidrbox.com connects people seeking orchard-driven cider with the artisans who make it. Each month we visit a single, distinctive American heritage orchard — where small producers grow, harvest, press, ferment and refine their cider — and we ship their cider to our subscribers. We also sit down for a tasting with the maker, and we share that tasting with you at cidersessions.com.
p.s. When we say cider, we mean hard cider: Artful fermentations of heirloom apples by master cidermakers. You must be at least 21 to drink what we deliver, and you will be asked for your ID and signature at the door.
