Judge’s Review: 97 Rating – Signature by Nine Pin Ciderworks

New World Cider | Year-Round | USA

By Scott Birdwell

Judges Rating: 97
Aroma: 23
Appearance: 6
Flavor: 39
Mouthfeel: 10
Overall Impression: 19

Signature by Nine Pin Ciderworks was judged as a New World Sparkling Apple Cider, BJCP style C1A per the 2021 Guidelines.
In a word, this is delicious! Weighing in at 6.7% alcohol by volume, it does pack a bit of a punch while not venturing into the vicinity of a borderline apple “wine.” The cider pours pale yellow into your glass with excellent clarity. Like most ciders, it forms a thin white head, which dissipates in a short amount of time. The bouquet is decidedly fruity (apple, of course). 
The aroma is not overpowering and immensely appealing. Nine Pin describes the cider as “off-dry,” meaning there is some residual sweetness. While this is an apt description, “off-dry” is open to a broad interpretation of sweetness levels. I would have to say this cider leans more to the dry end of the spectrum than the sweet end. There is just enough sweetness to balance the the tartness of the acidity and tannins from those “locally sourced” New York apples. The sweetness, rather than producing a cloying candy-like finish, enables the fruitiness to really pop!
The operative word here is “balanced.” In a world where the line between traditional beverages such as cider, beer, mead, wine and cloyingly sweet, fruit-flavored soft drink-like alco-pops gets blurred so often, this is a straight-up apple cider. No gimmicks, no fruit or fruit flavorings, no herbs or spices. Just a good (aka World Class) well-balanced, fermented apple cider. How refreshing, both literally and figuratively! May I have another?!