The historic Cornish estate on which I used to rent was composed largely of gently sloping fields tenanted by local livestock farmers. When walking along the one road that wound through them, I always enjoyed watching whatever animals had installed themselves to graze since I last passed. I often did this walk just as the sun was setting; around this time of year, I might have spotted a docile group of Hereford cattle with their calves on the biggest field, the one with the excellent aspect of the surrounding low, tree-studded hills and the old church tower beyond.

The thought of such a scene gives me a slight pang. Don’t get me wrong: Rome, where I live now, is amazing, it’s just different. The seasons are less sharply defined, and spring has felt like it lasted about a minute—none of this gradual unfolding of daffodils and primroses. Nonetheless, I am able to pursue many of my Cornwall-acquired hobbies here: for instance, I still forage, I’ve just swapped the sloes, gorse and wild garlic for the likes of wild fennel, mint and medlars (the latter are surprisingly common in the Rome area). The large park near my house is even home to a sheep farm, so I can still get my sunset dose of bucolicism. I’m lucky to have lived in many diverse and beautiful places.

The reason I’m thinking about the way the seasons passed over those Cornish fields and their nearby hedgerows is that we’re already nearing the summer solstice. Last summer, Tom and Lydia from Artistraw in Herefordshire asked me to review their summer solstice mini-collection of ciders. I was delighted, as I am a big fan of their drinks; unfortunately, my receiving the ciders coincided with my gearing up for the move to Rome. This is why I’ve been quiet on here for a while and am only now getting around to publishing this—I hope my notes and the bit of insight I have to share into Artistraw’s method of releasing ciders can still be of interest.

When I asked Lydia to tell me a bit about Artistraw’s thinking behind their twice-yearly collections—they usually release a collection each in spring and autumn, with this solstice collection being a special bonus—she told me that each seasonal collection is designed as a set that works well together. She and Tom deliberately choose very different things to show off their range, so each collection will contain at least one co-ferment, at least one dry cider, at least one medium cider, and maybe something particularly small-batch. Lydia said she enjoys the challenge of designing a set of labels that work beautifully together (see the Artistraw cider archive for all the past labels).

I also asked her how they decide what to release when; she replied that they are constantly tasting, and then often sharing what’s tasting good with friends to see what they think. “If we’re drinking lots of it, it’s probably time to get the cider out the door before we drink the whole lot. That’s kind of the acid test, really!”

With that, let’s get to the tasting. It was conducted blind: I sometimes like to do this when particularly well-known varieties are involved.

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Artistraw, Borderland 2022 – review

A dry single variety Yarlington Mill pet nat at 7.6%.

How I served: Lightly chilled

Appearance: Deep reddish orange, opaque but glowing.

On the nose: Rich apple and orange notes—this is clearly tannic. Tutti frutti bubble gum with phenolics.

In the mouth: Highly textured in the mouth with lots of tannin and a good acidic bite. Oodles of clove and mace with a drying bitterness. Dried apricot, bitter orange, wild strawberries. Moreish and fruity without being sweet.

In a nutshell: With real depth and texture, this is one for a long summer’s eve by a campfire.

Artistraw, Kingston Black SV 2023 – review

A medium sweet pet nat at 5.7%.

How I served: Lightly chilled

Appearance: Slightly cloudy, dusty orange.

On the nose: Wisps of tannic apple as well as vanilla. Bruised strawberry. 

In the mouth: Honeyed, slightly viscous sweetness contrasts with decent tannin. Orange peel and mango meet lemon drops mixed into strawberry jam. The texture is kept fresh and lifted by the bubbles. A hint of orchard floor adds depth.

In a nutshell: Another lovely sweet-but-not-too-sweet Kingston Black from one of the makers I most associate with this beloved apple.

Artistraw, Flock 2023 – review

Dry ancestral-method cider, 6.5%.

How I served: Lightly chilled

Appearance: Orange with visibly zipping bubbles. It’s clear compared to the others, which makes sense given that Artistraw use “ancestral method” to refer to the pet nat ciders they riddle and disgorge (topping up with cider, never adding a dosage).

On the nose: Dusty orchard floor, faint berries—maybe raspberries. A slightly industrial petrol note that’s almost like Riesling. Sea spray?

In the mouth: Coating the mouth with a sharp, stemmy tannin, this cider feels like licking a stone while thinking of gooseberries. It’s a bit austere but would be lovely with food.

In a nutshell: While this was a bit bracing after the first two I tried, I kept going back to its steely lightness. 

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After tasting these ciders, I remember immediately planning out what order I’d put them in for a spring or summer meal. I would probably have started with the luscious KB, getting everyone in the party mood with something cold and sweet. Then, the Flock would be the clear choice with most foods. Finally, we’d have the Borderland after dinner around the campfire, savouring its rich spiciness as a nightcap hinting at colder evenings to come.

Artistraw’s ciders, which are unfiltered, unpasteurised, wild-fermented, full-juice, and made from fruit hand-picked in traditional Herefordshire orchards, always make me feel like I’m right there among the apple trees. They’re a perfect encapsulation of the kind of English cider I’m missing during my Italian sojourn, and these solstice bottlings are still fresh in my mind a year on. Of course, they’re also made in tantalizingly small runs, meaning all except the Borderland (still available from Cat in the Glass) are sold out—I hope this article inspires you to try the spring/summer collection they released a month ago.

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Many thanks to Lydia and Tom from Artistraw for providing these samples, and Lydia for answering my questions. All photos by the author.