Wine Tree Cidery is located in the beautiful Holyoake Valley surrounded by forests in usual Dwellingup style. On visiting, owners Tracey and Ken Oliver were busy turning 450 kilogram tubs of gleaming applies into delicious cider. Tracey explained the current crush will be next year’s beverage.

It takes 12 months to make a batch of Wine Tree cider. This year they were predominately using deliciously crisp Granny Smith apples because of the fantastic season they’ve had. Crushing about nine tubs of apples a day, the whole process takes about six weeks. Last year Wine Tree Cidery crushed 22-tonnes of apple, which is a significant amount for a local business of their size.

The apple cider fermentation process is an intriguing one and occurs as yeast converts the apple sugars into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. First, yeast converts the sugar to alcohol and then lactic acid bacteria convert the natural malic acid into carbon dioxide. It’s quite the process crafting your perfectly balanced cider,

As well as sweet, medium or dry sparkling apple ciders, Tracey and Ken make port and small batch wines from locally-grown fruits such as quince and raspberry. A must sample is Wine Tree’s unique, bubbly spritzers. Sold only on tap on the premises, the boysenberry, plum, raspberry or nectarine flavours are not to be missed! Another tip for a unique sampling; ask for a local favourite – the “Fluffy Ginger” – a mix of ginger beer and apple cider.