Harvest season in Basque cider cellars
The best time of the year to discover Basque cider houses
With the arrival of autumn, the landscapes of the Basque Country are tinged with ochre and gold hues, and the fields are filled with activity. It's apple harvest time, one of the most important times of the year for Basque cider houses. Between late September and November, the producing families work intensely in their apple orchards to harvest the fruit that will give rise to natural cider, and they do so by opening their doors to visitors for an authentic, intimate, cultural—and, of course, also gastronomic—experience.
This is, without a doubt, one of the best times of the year to visit our cider houses. Through Sagardoa Route, the Basque Country Cider House Association, you can take guided tours that allow you to learn about the process from the root, taste homemade products, and end the day with a traditional cider house menu.
The experience begins at the family farmhouse, where we'll get to know the family who owns it up close. We'll continue to the apple orchard, the heart of the process. Here, among rows of trees laden with fruit, we'll see how the harvest is carried out manually, while learning about the different native apple varieties, their role in cider making, and the importance of respecting nature's rhythm.
From the orchard, we’ll continue to the production area, where the apples are washed, crushed, and pressed. It's here that we'll taste the freshly pressed apple juice, a non-alcoholic beverage with no additives and a sweet, slightly acidic flavor that anticipates the character of the future cider.
Next, we'll head into the cellar, where the kupelak (barrels) store the fermenting must. Here, we'll discover all the secrets of the cider fermentation process and taste cider straight from the barrels, shouting "txotx!"
How is Basque natural cider made?
- Manual harvest of the apples, at their peak ripeness.
- Cleaning, crushing, and pressing to extract the must.
- Natural fermentation in barrels (kupelak), without adding sugar.
- Tasting season directly from the barrel from mid-January to May, during the txotx season.
- Bottling.
This traditional method results in a dry, slightly acidic, refreshing cider with a low alcohol content of around 6%, ideal for pairing with our cuisine.
The experience culminates with the traditional cider house menu, served in the cellar’s dining room.
The classic menu includes:
- Cod omelet
- Fried cod with green peppers and onion
- Grilled T-bone Steak
- Idiazabal cheese, walnuts, and quince jelly
During the meal, you can enjoy PDO Euskal Sagardoa cider in the bottle or directly from the kupela, following the traditional txotx ritual.
When and where can you enjoy this experience?
The ideal season is between late September and mid-November, when the apple orchards are at their peak and the cider houses are bustling with life and activity.
All of this can be experienced with Sagardoa Route, with personalized tours and cultural activities related to the world of cider.
Through our website (sagardoa.eus), you can book guided tours of cider houses, excursions, cider and apple juice tastings, and more. Activities are available in Basque, Spanish, English, or French, ideal for local and international visitors.
Comentarios
Deje su comentario