441: Wilding Cider and the Rural Method | Somerset, UK

441: Wilding Cider and the Rural Method | Somerset, UK

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist January 8, 2025 Duration: 1:08:21

Wilding Cider, founded by Sam and Beccy Leach in 2019, uses Regenerative farming practices and a "rural method" to cider making. Based in Somerset the culinary skills of Sam blend with Beccy's Sommelier palate. Their dedication to traditional orchards and natural fermentations has led to the creation of their standout orchard based ciders and perrys. This process sets Wilding apart, showcasing a commitment to purity, sustainability, and the land.

Cider Chat Ep:441 Wilding Cider Beccy & Same Leach 200x300
Beccy and Same Leach

The Orchard at Wilding

  • Size & Scope: 7.5 acres at the home orchard and additional rented orchards.
  • Varieties: Kingston Black, Stoke Red, Porter's Perfection, and so many more.
  • Regenerative Practices
Cider Chat Ep 441 Sam Leach in the orchard at Wilding Cider 200x300
Sam in the home orchard

The orchards provide the perfect environment for Wilding's cider-making, ensuring low-intervention fermentations that align with the Rural Method philosophy.

What is the Rural Method of Cider Making

Sam credits Skyborry cider in Wales for coining the phrase "rural Method". He explains in this chat that at Wilding Cider Rural Method is an energy-efficient, traditional approach to crafting naturally sweet ciders. It utilizes:

  • Cold Winter Fermentations: Utilizing natural temperatures to slow fermentation.
  • Low Nitrogen Content: Achieved by using unfertilized orchards for balanced fermentations.
  • Minimal Intervention: Avoiding filtration, sulfites, or pasteurization.

This method produces clean, complex ciders that capture the essence of Somerset orchards.

Signature Wilding Ciders and Perry

Wilding Cider showcases the Rural Method through their unique blends and single varietals:

  • Symphony: A bittersweet blend.
  • Comics: Multi-orchard cider built on Browns and Yarlington.
  • Single Varietals: Stoke Red and Kingston Black.
  • Perry Cider: Carefully macerated to achieve depth and balance.

These ciders are celebrated for their balance of tannins, acidity, and natural sweetness, hallmarks of the Rural Method.

Contact and how to find Wilding Cider

  • Website: http://wildingcider.com
  • Open Days: Second Saturday of the month, April through September.
  • UK: Independent shops and restaurants.
  • International: Belgium, Japan, and limited availability in the U.S.

Mentions in this Cider Chat

  • CiderCon2025 Promo Code –  Once you get to the registration form, towards the end of the first page you'll reach a section in the form that says "additional registration information" and there is a question: If you have a coupon, please enter code here (case-sensitive): CiderChat
  • Totally Cider Tour to the UK – send an email to info@ciderchat.com to get on the wait list for this 2025 tour taking place August 25-31, 2025

There’s a whole world in a glass of cider, and Cider Chat is your invitation to explore it. Hosted by award-winning cidermaker and writer Ria Windcaller, this podcast travels far beyond the bottle to meet the people who make the global cider culture so vibrant. Each conversation is a journey-you might find yourself in a heritage orchard learning the history of forgotten apple varieties, in a bustling taproom with an importer explaining regional traditions, or in a kitchen with a chef pairing cider with unexpected foods. The discussions get into the delightful nuances, too, whether that’s the semantics of what we even call this drink or how the concept of terroir translates from soil to sip. It’s not just about production; it’s about the community, the travel, and the stories that fermentation unlocks. This is for anyone curious about the craft, history, and sheer enjoyment of fermented apple juice in all its forms. So, pour a glass and settle in for a series that feels like a wide-ranging, informative, and genuinely good-humored chat with friends who happen to be obsessed with cider. You’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for every effervescent, tart, or sweet sip, hearing directly from the growers, makers, and enthusiasts who are shaping this drink’s exciting present and future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 501

Cider Chat
Podcast Episodes
257: Courthouse Creek "Garagistes" | Building a Cidery Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:58
We are Garagiste! Liza and Eric Coffi - Courthouse Creek Garagistes Liza and Eric Coffi jokingly call themselves 'Garagistes' of the cider world. Courthouse Creek is a family-run, small agri-business committed to respect…
256: Securing a Trademark | Building a Cidery Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:03
Securing a Trademark This episode is Part 2 of the series "Building a Cidery". In Part 1 episode 255 "What is a Trademark" and "Why it matters" was presented by attorney Kevin Regan. Both episodes on Trademark Law were o…
255: Trademark Defined | Building a Cidery Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:57
Trademark Defined This episode kicks off a new series called "Building a Cidery". This episode and #256 are both on Trademark Law as presented by attorney Kevin Regan at CiderCon 2020. If you would like to view the power…
254: Blending as Maker Like Chef | Albemarle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:32
Blending as Maker like Chef Blending is a key part of cidermaking. It can take place at the pressing of the apple juice prior to ferment or after the cider has finished fermenting. Knowing when to blend is not something…
253: #GrowQuince | Part 2 The Harvest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:21
Harvest the brightest fruit on the Quince Tree In late 2019, Vermont Quince Company was awarded USDA-funded Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funding through the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) to…
252: #GrowQuince Tips | Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:38
#GrowQuince - it is easy to do! In late 2019, Vermont Quince Company was awarded USDA-funded Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funding through the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) to support commerc…
251: Irish Expat in Germany | Kertelreiter Cider [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:51
Kertelreiter Cider Kertelreiter Cider is based in the village of Schefflenz in North Baden, Germany. The cidery came about when Irishman Barry Masterson fell in love with a German lass and moved to her homeland to raise…
250th Cider Podcast Celebration [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:57
We are celebrating the 250th episode of Cider Chat. Each season we invite The Nose to come on into the Cider House recording room and have a chat. We also have the opportunity to hear a bit more on how The Nose became Th…
249: Old School Cider for Modern Times [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:23
Old School Cider for Modern Times episode 249 is about this cider podcaster's backstory on making cider over the course of 26 years. This episode was inspired by my good friend Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider in Ontario.…
248: New England Quince Taste Test [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:40
The New England Quince Taste Test 2020 was hosted by Vermont Quince. Nan Stefanik founded Vermont Quince in 2012 and coined the hashtag #growquince Her passion for this pomme is contagious and her quince based products h…