HOSS Cider - 'Westering' - Sparkling Cider - California, USA - NV

Satellite's Hot Take

Our favorite California cider -  from historic orchards - fermented bone dry - with a full character of an old-school cider. 

Notes from the Winery/Importer

“Westering” is a blend of late harvest apples and 2+ year aged cider to create a rich, ultra-dry, rich, cider with notes of savory caramel.

Notes on the Producer

The story is in the name: HOSS stands for Historic Orchard Stewardship Society. The word “hoss” is also old-timey rural slang for a strong, dependable horse or a person you can count on.

Our apples come from historic, dry-farmed orchards that thrive without irrigation. Every gallon of juice is pressed without drawing a single drop from California’s fragile water table.

You do not need the backstory to enjoy HOSS. If you're curious, our values are simple: stewardship over extraction. Progress is not always about invention; it is about caring for the abundance already around us. By preserving these established orchards, we are building a project rooted in sustainability, resilience, and respect for the land.

HOSS Cider is a natural, dry hard cider made without chemical fertilizers or sprays. A gluten-free alternative to beer, HOSS is lower in alcohol than most wines, has a low glycemic index, and contains no added sulfites.

The collective at RD Winery is a group of over a dozen various wine, cider, and beer producers that share a communal space, both to support camaraderie in the area and to bolster small businesses. The space is intended to help launch smaller brands and to give existing producers the freedom to pursue unusual or distinctive projects, creating an environment that allows for creativity and expression in all forms of fermentation.