Windfall Cider – Hail Mary Rose Cider

Windfall Cider – Hail Mary Rose Cider Review

When we think of BC cideries and their location, we picture Vancouver Island or the Okanagan, but Windfall Cider is located right in Vancouver! It is the brainchild of husband and wife team Jeff and Nathaly Nairn, both cider hobbyists with a preference to the Spanish style-characteristically tart, almost entirely flat, cloudy with sediment and a bit funky tasting. And while they are not an actual cidery,(no acreages of land), the apples used to make their ciders are the best that BC can offer!

Hail Mary is Windfall’s second Flagship release, launched in the Spring of 2019. It is a dry, yet crisp rose cider using BC apples and ripe Saskatoon berries, and is created using the old world cidermaking techniques but with a modern twist. It uses 12 different varietals of apples including McIntosh, Granny Smith, Red Delicious, and Spartan – a nice blend of tart yet juicy style apples. Adding the berries provides a nice addition of fruit but also the colour needed to make this a true rose.

The cider pours a warm peachy pink, with very little carbonation-true to the Spanish style. Despite the apple base, the aroma and the flavour of the berries shine through. Much like rose wines that complement and pair nicely with a nice light bbq or grilled meats, so too will this rose cider. And also check out their fun labels!