Sidra de Asturias

Appearance & taste

Sidra natural is made without added sugar and contains only carbon dioxide from its own fermentation. It is characterised by a distinctive, harmonious taste between sour and bitter and a faint natural sparkle. The aroma is pronounced and fresh, with varietal or fruity notes and low acidity; the colour ranges from bright yellow to straw. The alcohol content is at least 5 % vol.

Sidra natural espumosa is made by a second fermentation of a natural cider and has at least 5.5 % vol. It has long-lasting bubbles and a delicate foam, an aroma reminiscent of fresh apples or apple sauce, and a clear, bright appearance in various shades of yellow. Depending on its sugar content it is labelled from “Brut Nature” to “Dulce” (sweet). Because the pressure in the bottle is over three bar, it needs a different bottle and a different closure from natural cider.

Production

Only cider apple varieties traditionally grown in the area, on registered plots, are used. The specification divides them by acidity and phenol content into nine groups from sweet to sour and bitter and names each variety, among them Blanquina, Raxao, Regona, Clara and Durcolorá. The apples are milled and pressed, the must is fermented, and the cider is matured and bottled in the area.

For the must, any change to the natural sugar content, concentrate, artificial flavourings, pasteurisation and water are banned. In the cider, added alcohol, wine or fruit wine, artificial sweeteners and colourings and carbon dioxide from other sources are also prohibited. Only for the sparkling cider may as much sugar be added as is strictly necessary to start the second fermentation. Whether the carbon dioxide comes from the cider’s own fermentation is checked using the ratio of the carbon isotopes C13/C12. Each bottle carries a numbered control label from the control body.

Origin & history

The area covers 78 municipalities (concejos) of Asturias, among them Oviedo, Gijón, Avilés, Villaviciosa, Nava and Siero. It covers 10,560 km², but is very mountainous; the orchards are scattered in small valleys and isolated plots. Traditionally the cider apples are grown extensively, in orchard meadows that also serve as pasture.

According to the specification, Asturias produces 80 % of Spain’s cider, and the geographer Strabo already reported on the region’s cider around 60 BC. Over the centuries the apple growers selected the most suitable varieties from ungrafted seedling trees. Small presses used to stand on the farms and served the farmers’ own needs; today the facilities are concentrated in larger towns. According to the specification, natural cider is considerably older; cider with added carbon dioxide only appeared in the 19th century. 106 traditional cider presses of commercial size were counted, more than 60 % of which are handed down within the family.