The tasting room at Portersfield Cider in Pownal is back.

David Buchanan, who has more than 200 apple varieties on his farm and a passion for collecting rare varieties, wasn’t able to open it last year due to COVID-19.

He announced this week that the tasting room will reopen this Saturday, and going forward, be open from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays by reservation. Buchanan will have cider flights and plates of local cheese.

American cider tastes can change quickly, he said. It’s hard to stay up on that in a vacuum.

“I miss direct interactions with customers not only because it’s very gratifying seeing them enjoy my cider, but because I learn from them,” said Buchanan. “Seeing the expressions on their faces and hearing their reactions, it’s a kind of collaboration. Sending bottles out into the world without any direct feedback just isn’t the same.”

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