If you want a drier cider or closer to an apple wine, use a wine or champagne yeast. Another option is to use an alcohol-tolerant yeast such as the EC 1118 and monitor the specific gravity of the cider. Halt fermentation with sulfites at the desired level of alcohol content. That depends on your tastes. Typically cider takes MUCH longer than beer to age.
Young ciders are tart, especially.
If you want cider for the summer, start thinking about it now. Cider can be sparkling or still, just like wine. I prefer sparkling cider myself. I've never primed cider for bottling, but adding additional apple juice at bottling time is a recommended method. Cider fermentation can be explosive.