Isastegi Sagardotegia Sidra Natural

Ripe notes of apple on the nose lead to an acidic, malted apple on the palate. The finish is crisp and fresh.  https://www.bonappetit.com/story/basque-hard-cider

Isastegi Sagardo Naturala Basque Cider

Isastegi Sagardo is traditionally served cold, poured into a wide-mouth tumbler from an arm’s length a little bit at a time to give the cider its signature creamy, effervescent mousse.

Isastegi is also a founding member of the Gorenak Society and Euskal Sagardoa, a new PDO for Basque natural cider. It was created in 2017 and allows the use of about 115 local apple varieties grown in the Basque Autonomous Community. It certifies both the quality and origin of the apples and cider. Isastegi has also recently gained organic certification by ENEEK (Basque Organic Regulatory Council) and does not add sulfites to their cider at any point during the process.

Vinification – Each lot is fermented separately in stainless steel tanks with native yeasts. After fermentation, each component is tasted for quality, and the lots are blended together in kupelas (old, large oak cider barrels) for several months. Isastegi cider is bottled fresh from barrel without fining or filtration before each shipment.

Apples: A blend of over a dozen native Basque apple varieties, farmed within a 15-kilometer radius of their cider house in Tolosa

Vinification: After fermentation in stainless steel the cider is blended in kupelas (old, large, oak cider barrels) it is bottled fresh and without filtration before each shipment.

Aging: Blended in large, old oak kupela barrels

Farming: Certified Organic by ENEEK (Basque Organic Regulatory Council)

SO2: No added sulfites, less than