At the turn of the millennium, four established apple growers and general Washington agricultural trailblazers joined forces to produce Blue Mountain Cider Company on the Milton-Freewater, Ore., side of the wine-heavy Walla Walla valley. Sustainable and honorable to the traditional varieties best known for laser sharp acidity, Blue Mountain Cider now sits on 30 acres of nearly two dozen varietal apples producing four consistent ciders and four seasonal. As one of the staples, the Cherry cider uses its apple juice core as a base in flavor and floats the tart cherry as a notation of flair. Semi-sweet and surprisingly higher in alcohol content than you’d think (6.25% ABV), this cider demands sunshine to soon arrive.
