Cider Season Begins in Basque Country

Descripción

It's now officially the season of the txotx, with the first cider of the year being served in the age-old Basque Country ritual that marks the beginning of a new season for this traditional, quality product.

andoni luis aduriz sidra sidrería temporada del txotx apertura del txotx

Ficha

Fuente: Food&Wines From Spain
Fecha: 2018-01-18
Clasificación: 5.1. Aperturas txotx
Tipo documento: Blogs
Fondo: Sagardoetxea Museoa

Código: NA-007981

Texto completo

The season begins when the locally-made cider in the txotx (large barrel) shoots out of the cask for the first time and into the glass. This means that the first cider from the 2017 apple harvest in the Basque Country is upon us, and can now be enjoyed in sidrerías in traditional cider-making towns like Astigarraga, Guipúzcoa.

In addition to the ritual pouring of the cider, which has been celebrated in this manner for the past twenty-five years in this town – often in the presence of important Basque figures like chef Andoni Luis Aduriz – the tradition also involves the symbolic planting of a new apple tree.

The 2017 apple harvest in the Basque Country has yielded some twelve million liters of cider, 30% of which was made from native apple varieties and protected by Designation of Origin Euskal Sagardoa status. There are forty-eight cider houses that make PDO Euskal Sagardoa cider; the large majority of which are in Guipúzcoa, followed by Vizcaya and Álava.

According to experts, the newest batch of cider is lighter in color than previous year’s, with very clean, balanced aromas. The cider made with the harvest's first apples have aromas of fresh fruit, which become more and more ripe as the harvest continues.