Review of Bereziartua’s Edición Gourmet.  This is my first time trying their cider, although I’ve tried a handful of other Spanish Sidra varieties (pronounced see-druh, cider in Spanish).

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by Scoperta Importing / The Marchetti Company (the importer).  Although I will take care to treat it the same as any other review, there is always the potential for bias as I received it for free.  The only consideration I knowingly made was pushing this up in my cider review cue.  I love free stuff, especially cider!  Want your cider or cider-related product reviewed here?  Contact me.<<

Cider:  Edición Gourmet
Cidery:  Bereziartua
Cidery Location: Astigarraga, Basque Country, Spain
ABV:  6%
How Supplied:  750ml green bottles, wine corked
Style:  Spanish Sidra

 

Availability:  CA, DE, ID, IL, KY, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, OR, SC, and WA

Production:  This special cider is produced from select apple varieties grown in a special orchard that Bereziartua has been working with for 25 years.  The freshly picked apples are crushed, pressed, and then fermented in kupelas (large oak barrels) for a minimum of eight months.  This traditional cider is 100% natural: apples are the only ingredient.

Tasting Notes:  Unfiltered and slightly effervescent, with peach, orange blossom, and lemon aromas, this has more body and roundness than most Basque ciders but still finishes bright and dry.

Food Pairing:  Excellent with steak, rich fish dishes, and lightly fried foods.

Serving Suggestion:  Serve chilled.  Traditionally Basque cider is poured from a bottle held head high into a glass held mid-thigh.  A small portion is poured and the cider aerates as it hits the glass.  It should be consumed in one gulp and poured again.

Apple Varieties: Numerous wild Spanish apple varieties, including Txalaka, Urtebia, Judeline, and Judor

Cidery Description:  Sidras Bereziartua Sagardoak is a family-run firm devoted to cider production since 1870.  That was when we made the first Bereziartua ciders at our old installations in Ergobia. A century later, in 1970, our cider house finally committed itself to the production of sagardua or cider at its installations in Astigarraga, where we are located today.  Since then, and following various modernization processes, Bereziartua has become a beacon in the production of natural cider, while at the same time preserving its family character at the service of tradition, and out of respect and gratitude towards our loyal customers.

Price:  n/a (retail is $10.99)
Where Bought:  n/a
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  the importer asked if I would like samples

First Impression:  Cloudy bright yellow hue.  Smells of sulfur, funk, sourness, and citrus.  Low carbonation.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-dry.  Medium bodied, smooth.  Moderate to strong sourness that hits more mid-palate than back of the palate.  Moderate tartness and acidity.  Mild bitterness.  Moderate funk.  No tannins.  Notes of grapefruit, orange, lemon, mineral, sulfur, and yeast.  Moderate apple flavor.  Low sessionability.  Low flavor intensity.  Moderate complexity.

My Opinion:  Although its growing on me, I’m not a huge fan of Spanish Sidra.  I was able to share the remainder of the bottle with some friends who better enjoy this style.  Of the two, I preferred the Sidra Natural (as I found it more flavorful and less harsh), but my husband preferred Edición Gourmet (which he found to have more apple flavor).

Most Similar to:  Other Spanish Sidras

Closing Notes:   If you enjoy Spanish Sidra, American farmhouse-style cider, sour beers, etc, than this is a well-made budget-friendly selection I’d recommend.

Have you tried Spanish Sidra?  What do you think of them?