Our farm was originally a land grant from the King of England to the ancestors of the Harley family. One of the family's decedents told us that during the Civil War the Harleys sheltered their horses and other livestock under the rock ledges on Catoctin Creek. For the last several years a pair of Bald Eagles have made their nest in a Sycamore tree along our little stretch of Catoctin Creek and watched over the "keep".
Drawing on these stories, this series of dessert wines inherit their names from the roots of our land and those who have called this place home. We grow, pick, press and ferment our fruit. The long, cool fermentation and aging in “neutral” French Oak barrels takes 2 years. We choose some fermented cider and perry to take to our friends at McClintock Distillery, where they distill it into spirits for us. The distilled spirits are mixed with cider or perry, along with fermenting fresh juice. This new mix is then aged in American Oak. Similar to a port wine in structure, the distilled spirits added to fermenting juice halts the fermentation process allowing us to retain some fruit sweetness without adding sulfites. Centuries of caring for the land and its history - 30 years from soil to sapling, harvest to bottle - 4.5 years from harvest to bottle. Willow Oaks craft cider – serving history Harley's Keep- label artwork by Linda Harrison-Parsons 375ml $44 Organic apples Elegant, oak aged apple wine 17% abv Bequest 375ml $44 Organic pears Silky, richly flavored organic pear wine. 17% abv Coming soon! Gracie’s Calling 375ml $44 Organic blueberries and apples 17% abv Summers 375ml $44 Organic blackberries and apples 17% abv $1.00 per sample to add to your standard cider tasting $7.00 per glass
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