Autumn in a Glass
Frosty “Cocktails” with Gowan’s Heirloom Cider
by Holly Madrigal
Local tip: if you are driving to the coast on winding Highway 128 on a warm autumn day, make a stop for a special treat‑— the Frosé Margarita in the shady tasting grove at Gowan’s apple orchard. Travelers have stopped for years at Gowans Oak Tree for apple juice, dried fruits, produce, and snacks. The tasting grove, just a few hundred yards further west, opened in 2020 when the idea of an outdoor tasting room was fresh and new.
Beneath the dappled green shade of the apple trees, Sharon Gowan served up their signature hot weather treat. Frosty and rose-hued, the Frosé is made up of Gowan’s award-winning Rosé Applewine Cider, chilled to a delicious frappe consistency and dolloped into a Tajín- and plum powder-rimmed glass. (Sip with caution or you might suffer brain freeze.) The Rosé Cider is a blend of heirloom estate cider with Pinot Noir. The addictive spicy-salty rim complements the notes of plum within the Pinot. Sweet but dry, the combination is a delightful refresher on a hot afternoon.
The family has been busy developing a number of new ciders, turning heads and winning prizes at competitions like the Good Food Award. The 1876 Heirloom Cider and their Gravenstein Cider are local favorites, but they continue to explore other single varietals. Sharon shares that the Red Delicious Cider has flavors of tropical fruit. They have some creative blends like the Honey Citron, created by adding California honey and a zesty touch of citron (an heirlooom citrus) juice to the estate cider. The result is an explosion of complexity, honey ginger notes with a dry, not-toosweet finish. They have also begun serving cider in “cocktails,” such as the Gravenstein Cider Mimosa (cider and fresh orange juice) or the Rosé Cider Mint Julep.
With a storied legacy of growing apples in Anderson Valley since 1876, the Gowans continue to evolve. Sharon explained that they have a new addition to the farm—an autonomous tractor. This robot tractor can maneuver unattended to the orchard for mowing, do the work, and then drive itself back into the barn. Sharon believes this is the first commercial use of an automated tractor in an orchard in the United States.
Gowans also offers apple tastings, pulling in some boxes of what is at peak harvest to tempt the traveler’s palate with a slice of what is in season: Gravenstein, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, or the Sierra Beauty, which they have been growing since 1906. For a non-alcoholic beverage option, they have frozen apple juice as well. The orchard welcomes well-behaved dogs who can rest in the shade as you taste. So swing by and taste the season among the trees. Just be sure to sip slowly to avoid that brain freeze.
Apple Cider Margarita
INGREDIENTS
• 1 bottle Gowan’s Rosé Applewine
Cider
• Lime
• Tajín (Mexican chile/lime spice mix)
• Plum powder
DIRECTIONS
Pour the cider into a shallow glass cake pan. Place in the freezer, stirring and folding with a spatula every 30 minutes until it has a nice shaved ice consistency. Alternately, pour into an ice cube tray to freeze and then into a blender to reach slushie stage.
Using a lime wedge, moisten the rim of a margarita glass, then coat it in a mixture of Tajín with ground plum powder (also called Li Hing Mui Powder, which is available in Asian groceries and online). Pour the frozen cider slush into the glass and garnish with the lime wedge. Enjoy!
St. Orres
36601 S Highway 1, Gualala
(707) 884-3335 | www.saintorres.com
Open Thurs - Mon
Photos by Torrey Douglass
Torrey Douglass is a web and graphic designer living in Boonville. Her life’s joys include reading by the fire, cooking something delicious, and drinking good coffee with a friend.