Sandy Point Farm “Almata” Apple 2021

Sandy Point Farm on Waldron Island grows many varieties of special apples. Usually we focus more on an orchard blend, or a field blend of sorts, with the different farms we work with. The stunning pink juice from the pink fleshed Almata apple at Sandy Point, however, gave us pause when we first encountered it in 2020. Difficult to eat with its overt tang, potent tannin and lack of extravagant sugar, at first we weren’t sure if we were setting the juice aside because it was just pretty. It soon became clear this was a very special apple with very special juice and, though there wasn’t much of it, it deserved it’s own platform. The salmon-hued “Almata” cuvee was born. Delicate, nuanced, aromatic and delightful. There is never much to bottle - the Arndt family only grow a couple of trees - but it’s character shines when set apart from richer, later ripening varieties.