Derwent Valley business Plenty Cider takes home two awards at the Australian Cider Awards

It is rare for a business to gain the Midas touch on its first attempt, but that is precisely what happened for a cider company that recently won a pair of national awards for its original drink.

Adam and Grace D'Darcy with daughters Isabella 4 and Charlotte 2. Adam and Grace D'Arcy of Plenty Cider won Best in Show, Best Small Producer and Best Fruit Cider at the 2023 Australian Cider Awards. Picture: supplied

What began as a way to create a legacy for their children has turned into an award-winning business for Adam and Grace D’Arcy.

Their company, Plenty Cider, recently took home two trophies at a national industry competition.

The pair won the Best Small Producer award and claimed the gong for top New World Cider.

The recent success at the Australian Cider Awards is impressive, given that the business only began in 2019.

Day two of The Taste of Tasmania - Adam D'Arcy of Plenty Cider is pictured as he launches his range of ciders. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Adam D’Arcy said much work had gone into building Plenty Cider into the company it is today.

“When I went to France to research cider production and met the legendary Eric

Bordelet, he said to me that perfecting cider would take the rest of my life,” he said.

“I laughed this off and thought that it couldn’t be that hard. Having now worked on our cider for five years, I know that founding Plenty Cider is the beginning of our own final chapter.

“We are continuously building and refining what we do – but we can see that this will ‘be us’ for the rest of our working careers and that, hopefully, it’s something our kids will carry on as a legacy in our home in the Derwent Valley.”

Adam and Grace D'Arcy at Plenty Cider. Source: SUPPLIED.

Mr D’Arcy said the recent award success tasted even sweeter because it was the first cider they produced that won them the prizes.

“Most trophy winners at shows are the limited release, high profile ciders, but it really means a lot to us that our OG, the first cider we produced, has been awarded this trophy.”

“I think it shows some of the core principles of Plenty Cider; we let the fruit shine through to create a fresh, modern and sophisticated cider – it doesn’t matter that it’s our ‘everyday’ cider and comes in a can.”

“First and foremost, we are cidermakers, rather than farmers who want to use excess fruit up – so as cidermakers, this recognition from Australia’s peak cider body really does mean a lot for us.”