foggy ridge cider

They are set up for tasting like a Napa Valley winery. It is a very rural setting, non-touristy, very scenic setting among a lot of acreage of apple trees. The hard cider ranges from very dry and close to champagne, to sweet dessert wine-like offerings.

Pretty little property with exotic apples protected from deer by a 6' electric fence. Nice drive up the randy road with little traffic and plenty of vistas.

The ciders produced on this ranch of a variety of apple trees are all alcoholic. I was stunned by how one of the ciders emulated champagne, and another pinot grigio, and on down the line to ones that were sweet liqueurs. It is in a remote location, but the wine tasting is in a room that rivals a Napa Valley winery (where I have been) and is conducted likewise. It was a big surprise.

I have been a fan of Foggy Ridge cider for years. The cider house is located on the orchard and depending on the season offers some great views of apple trees in bloom to fall colors. The cider tasting provides history of the various ciders and an opportunity to taste before buying. If you can plan a visit when an event is scheduled it will enhance the experience. My favorite is in the fall when the Dog Town Pizza truck, brick oven in the bed is there. Excellent pizza and cider like no other to enjoy on the patio. This is an annual event for me.

Our experience with cider is mostly limited to Woodchuck and it ilk, but this is a whole different league: dry and effervescent in some cases, more like champagne. It's a small place, out in the middle of nowhere, but the cider is worth the trip. They served a nice bread and soup app along with the tasting, and it made for a lovely afternoon, on the porch overlooking the orchards and the mountains.

If you're looking for a Knott's Berry Farm experience, this isn't it. But, if you want some really, really good hard cider crafted from heritage varieties of apples, then you need to visit. Their cider is much more dry than the cider you would purchase at a grocery store (i.e., it doesn't taste like apple juice). We enjoyed the cider tasting for a nominal fee, explored the orchard, bought a bottle of cider, and then enjoyed it over a picnic we brought at the shaded tables out front of the building. This part of Virginia is especially beautiful, the staff were knowledgeable and friendly. If you're interested in good cider, you need to visit. We then enjoyed a nearby meadery and then several local wineries as part of a day trip.

Not much to see here. It's just a warehouse with a tasting area. The staff was very friendly, but I'm not a big fan of cider wine. The story of how the owner began making cider wine is kind of interesting, but I wouldn't waste the trip if I wasn't in the area.