The creative folks at William Heritage Winery have another winner! In my September allotment was something from a brand new line, 2019 Stayman Piquette.

Pray tell, what is a piquette? It's a drink made by adding water or juice to the second pressings of grape pomace -- the seeds, skins and stalks left over from the first pressing of juice. It's pretty environmental and sustainable when you think about it! In this case, the juice wetting down the pomace comes from estate-grown Stayman winesap apples. The resulting beverage was then fermented with natural yeast.

I loved the color of this when I poured it out. It's a gorgeous deep rosy pink! The aroma was very light straight after pouring, and the flavor is like a very dry light cider. At only 7% alcohol (compared to 11%-13% for still wines), it is super easy drinking. It is extremely fall appropriate, and would go great with light cheeses.

I feel like I need to venture down again to Heritage to pick up more of this, and salute their ingenuity! I recommend you do too.

Also because this featured heavily in the online monster trivia contest I was in last night while sipping my piquette, and it’s stuck in my head, I shall now imprint it on you too: “Beware of the Blob.” Enjoy!