Dr Clive Crossley is a cell biologist with a career in university medical research and teaching. When he retired, Clive decided to combine molecular biology, traditional artisan methods and a lifelong fondness for making cider. The result is Red Sails. Every one of Red Sails’ four ciders is a result of Clive combining art and science. The process begins with him finding the perfect mixture of cider apples. Clive Crossley and his wife Lynne Uptin grow more than 40 varieties of heritage cider apples in their orchard on the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Middleton, with the first apple trees planted in 1987. The fruit is then crushed to make a fresh juice that has a balance of sweetness, acidity, astringency and polyphenol content. The result is a cider that’s as traditional as you’ll find in Tasmania – and without chemical carbonation, pasteurization or preservatives. Red Sails also makes a perry using fruit from pear trees planted in the Middleton orchard more than 100 years ago. Despite a lifetime of learning, Clive and Lynne are still passionate cider scholars. The pair make yearly pilgrimages to the cider regions Europe. Here, they study traditional cider-making methods, then bring the knowledge back to Tasmania.

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Red Sails Cider Gold Made from unsprayed, estate-grown heritage cider apple varieties, the techniques for making this cider were learned from cider-makers in Brittany and depend critically on control of pectins and yeasts early in fermentation using enzyme technology developed in France. The Breton cuvée method of maceration releases a rich flavoured golden juice and wild yeasts begin the fermentation. The final stage of bottle fermentation without preservatives produces a sparkling cider with some residual sweetness, balanced acidity and soft tannins. Filtration prior to bottling produces a clear, golden, cider with interesting flavours. Red Sails Dry Cider This cider is hand-crafted from multiple cider apple varieties blended at pressing, fermented initially in vats using a combination of wild and cultivated wine yeasts. The final stage of bottle fermentation, which uses yeasts isolated in Champagne, produces a naturally carbonated dry cider without preservatives. Red Sails Wild Cider Wild yeasts from the orchard ferment juice from unsprayed heritage cider apples in French oak casks. The wild fermentation continues in-bottle, producing cider in a lovely old gold colour with very fine bubble. Fresh apple aromas with interesting flavours from the wild yeasts, but super clean on the palate with fine tannins. Red Sails Perry Napoleon pear trees have been growing at Pear Tree Cottage on the shores of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel for more than 100 years. This fruit is blended with estate grown heritage cider apple varieties including Yarlington Mill, Dabinett, and Foxwhelp, then double fermented using cultivated yeasts.