The 120-year-old orchard on Jim and Trudy Davis’ homestead supplied them with enough heirloom apples back in the mid-90s to coax Trudy into trying her hand at hard cider. Her obsession with fermentation soon led her to wine grapes. “I can’t say no to fruit,” she says with a laugh. She found work as assistant winemaker at Hoodsport Winery, where she handled all the chemistry work. “They didn’t make red wine and I really wanted to make red wine,” she says of the move to branch out on her own. The Davis’ launched Eaglemount Wine & Cider in 2006, one of the first cideries in the state. That first year they made 2,000 gallons of juice—half wine, half cider— and have been hustling to keep up with demand since.
“We’re making a transition out here to the Palindrome to increase our production,” says Jim. The 12-acre farm in Port Townsend, known as the Palindrome, has a tasting room, separate event space and bed & breakfast. The barn was used as a dance hall starting in the 1920s, and was later owned by the Flying Karamazov Brothers juggling troupe. The formation of an estate vineyard started last year and plans for an heirloom apple tree orchard are underway.
With a prolific lineup of ciders and wines, Trudy loves to experiment with varietals from regions like Yakima Valley, Wahluke Slope and Red Mountain. Having mastered her approach to crafting smooth red wines, this year she is making whites for the first time. “I’ll try anything,” she admits.
Among the current releases are Raptor, a Bordeaux varietal blend, and Eaglemount Red, an open-textured blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah.
The ciders are equally as diverse. Try the classically styled Homestead Dry, or the Raspberry Hopped Cider, a rose-hued beauty that is remarkably balanced and refreshing. Visit the tasting room at the Palindrom in Port Townsend located on the approach to town at 1893 S Jacob Miller Road.
Eaglemount 2011 Raptor, $36
A red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.
Nose: Alluring aromas of dark red fruit, earthy spice, sagebrush, coffee bean and graphite.
Taste: Polished and silky in texture, this Bordeaux varietal blend is rich and earth-toned, with a brooding red fruit profile of cherry and raspberry, and underlying notes of orange peel, loamy earthy, clove and barrel spice. A lovely streak of acidity running through the well-integrated tannins gives uplift and focus on the finish.
Editor’s Choice – Outstanding
Production: 120 cases
Alcohol: 14.3%
Eaglemount 2011 Red Wine, $25
Nose: Black and blue fruit mingled with leather, graham cracker and coffee notes.
Taste: An open-textured blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah, exhibiting rich flavors of blackberry, blueberry and plum leading to vanilla, mulberry, tea leaf. Fine tannins glide through the smooth finish.
Editor’s Choice – Excellent
Production: 100 cases
Alcohol: 14.3%
Eaglemount Raspberry Hopped Cider, $16
Pure, balanced and refreshing, with exotic aromatics and flavors of light-footed hoppy notes fused with raspberry tart, crisp dry apple and bright citrusy spice on the creamy mouthfeel.
Editor’s Choice – Outstanding
Alcohol: 8%
Eaglemount Homestead Dry Cider, $14
Balanced and structured with delicate effervescence, with woodsy aromas that echo on the palate with clean, refreshing and dry flavors of crisp apple, stem and spice notes.
Editor’s Choice – Outstanding
Alcohol: 8%
Website: www.eaglemountwineandcider.com