Brady’s Legana Wild Reserve challenges the standard thinking of what ciders can be. They are pushing hard into the fine sparkling wine territory. 

People often talk about terroir, the sense of place from a wine or a cider. This normally refers to the way the local soil and weather shape the apple as it grows. I think Brady’s Legana Wild Reserve can tell a story of a closer link to the area. The Legana is a rare apple first bred in the Tamar valley where this cider is made.

While the Legana makes up the bulk of the volume it is accompanied by the Yates apple which is from the opposite side of the world hailing from North America. It’s all rounded off with some more traditional cider-making apples. 

Like some of the other Brady’s Lookout Ciders, the Legana Wild Reserve uses wild yeasts and a Methode traditionelle fermentation. Just the way I like it. 

 

The Nose 

The Cuvee cider has a clean cider scent. It’s not too sweet or too funky. There is a sharp edge with a hint of cider vinegar but not getting to the point where it is a fault. It’s more of a light Somerset vibe. All this is smoothed out with a soft vanilla embrace. 

The Taste 

Big rampant bubbles throw around sharp funky flavours. Zingy fruit slaps you around the face. The Legana Wild Reserve is coming out swinging with big spicy acidic juicy apples. The wild ferment hasn’t left much sugar behind without stripping the fruit flavour. There are a lot of sparkling white wine vibes going on as the glass warms and the bubbles exhaust themselves. 

Final Thoughts on the Legana Wild Reserve 

The summer celebration season is here. Don’t bother with the imported French bubbles this offers a more complex, fresher bottle of good times with all the benefits that come with a lower ABV. I think I might be putting in an order for a few of these for Christmas brunch maybe paired with some scrambled eggs and on-smoke salmon on sourdough. 

Product Brady’s Lookout Cider Classic Orange Pippin
Company Brady’s Lookout
Sweetness Medium Dry
Alc/Vol 9.2%
Website https://www.bradyslookoutcider.com.au
Country of Origin Australia
Region  Tasmania

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