Apple trees blossom in an orchard along Bodega Highway, at Spring Hill School Road, west of Sebastopol on Monday, March 31, 2014. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)

From the Archives: The Battle to Save Apples in Wine Country

The area around Sebastopol was once well known for its apples, but vineyards have replaced many orchards. Farmers, cidermakers, environmentalists and chefs are now working hard to preserve the area's apple heritage.

Sonoma Cider founders Robert Cordtz, left, and his father, David, at their production facility in Healdsburg, on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)

Healdsburg’s Sonoma Cider a Bubbly Success

The challenge with making apple cider in Sonoma County is an ironic one: it can be hard to find apples. Especially when you’re shopping strictly for certified organic kinds. But the team at Sonoma Cider in Healdsburg is working to change that, one juicy piece of fruit at a time. In 1940, the county reached […]

Sonoma’s Best Fall Hard Ciders

  Sonoma County is known primarily for its wine, but it also has a ripe history of orchards. As early as ten years ago, a drive through the county’s orchards would’ve resulted in not-so-attractive photos of apples rotting on the ground. These days, the orchards have been rejuvenated through ciderists making popular hard ciders. Check […]

Tilted Shed Ciderworks

Micro-cider producers use heirloom apples from the region's lost orchards to create uniquely-flavored hard ciders