Ordago Sidra Iberiko
$18.00
1 in stock
Vintage: 2020
Region: Basque, Spain
Viticulture: Organic and Biodynamic
Grape varieties: Indigenous heirloom cider apples
Ordago Sidra Iberiko is a seriously bone-dry cider made from organic and biodynamic heirloom apples in the Basque region of northern Spain.
Song: Scrapple from the Apple by Charlie Parker
1 in stock
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About Ordago Sidra Iberiko
Ordago Sidra Iberiko is a seriously bone-dry cider made from organic and biodynamic heirloom apples in the Basque region of northern Spain. Freshly hand-picked wild apples are fed via a gentle water press to a proprietary crusher for first-press juice only. The juice is moved to wooden barrels for natural fermentation and aging. There are no other ingredients other than the first-pressed juice and natural wild yeast from the apples.
About Baque Ciders
There is no certain evidence about when sagardoa started to be made in the Basque Country. Sagardoa is the name in Basque for cider and means literally apple (sagar) wine (ardoa). What we know is that apples and cider have been present in this part of Europe for centuries, and it is still very much a living tradition, with the area producing about 13 million liters of cider annually, mainly consumed by Basques (about 2 million people).
Natural Basque cider has its own tradition and terminology, and a rooted culture behind it, which is widely celebrated during the txotx season, where over 800,000 people visit around 80 local cider houses.
The heart of the Basque cider culture is in Astigarraga, where most of the cider houses are concentrated, as well as in Usurbil and Hernani. The three towns are very close to San Sebastian and, interestingly, are one of the reasons why this culture has remained alive in this area. Centuries ago, cider was produced in many villages of the Basque Country, but the arrival of industrial drinks such as sodas relegated cider to a second level, a beverage that had been consumed in a widespread manner throughout history. But in the Basque Country, especially in San Sebastian, there is a long gastronomic tradition with cider. In fact, San Sebastian has one of the highest concentrations of Michelin-star restaurants in the world. One of the gastronomic traditions in the area is the txokos or gastronomical societies, private dinner clubs in which members and friends gather to cook, eat and drink.
This popular custom is closely linked to local and seasonal products. In these private gastronomical societies, cider continued to be consumed and for some years these groups were probably the main customers of cider houses, which is why production has remained in this area, despite the difficulties and ups and downs of the market. Although cider is produced across the area, 90% is produced in the region surrounding San Sebastian.
