Xuaquín Menéndez to lead a nine-cider SISGA tasting in Nava

La Naveta will host a guided tasting of nine ciders from eight origins on Thursday 12 November at 7 pm. The session costs €12, with limited places allocated strictly in order of registration.

LA SIDRA.— Nava will offer a chance to explore the diversity of international cider through a SISGA tasting featuring small bottles and cans. The event will take place at Bar La Naveta, Travesía Dominganes, 7, with a selection from the Netherlands, Poland, the Canary Islands, the Basque Country, Latvia, Japan, Finland and Canada. The nine ciders offer an introduction to different apples, production methods and approaches to the drink.

The tasting will be led by Xuaquín Menéndez, a cider sommelier specialist who holds both cider sommelier qualifications. His experience includes judging at national events such as Primer Sidre l’Añu, as well as international events in Valdivia, Chile.

Menéndez was part of the organising team for the 16th International Hall of Gala Ciders and was responsible for the International Jury’s scoring system at both the 15th and 16th editions of SISGA. His background in training, cider assessment and event organisation will inform a session designed to explain what makes each cider distinctive and help participants appreciate the differences.

The selection ranges from an alcohol-free option to dry, semi-dry and sweet ciders, alongside blends of apple and other fruits. Its varied origins will provide opportunities to compare aromas, acidity, sweetness, carbonation and structure across the different products.

Latvia will be represented by two contrasting styles. TĀLAVA Alcohol Free is the alcohol-free option, made with apple juice and no added sugar, with a fruity, sweet profile. Lauskis Ābolu Sidrs Pussauss is a semi-dry cider made with apples from old orchards, with a clear fruit aroma. From Finland comes Brinkhalli Kuiva Aitosiideri, a dry cider made with Finnish apples and characterised by pronounced acidity.

Óna, from Astigarraga in the Basque Country, offers a soft, fruity profile shaped by slow, controlled fermentation. El Valle Secreto, made in Valleseco on Gran Canaria, introduces local Reineta apples in a carbonated cider combining fruit and sweetness. Japan is represented by Gunma Meigetsu Apples Sweet, from Fukiware Cidrerie: a single-variety Gunma Meigetsu apple cider with a sweet profile, ripe fruit and gentle acidity.

Other fruits also feature in the line-up. Elegast Plum Cider, from the Netherlands, combines apples and plums in a refreshingly acidic cider. Poland’s Wiśniowy Klasyczny, from Bevvy Podlaski, adds sour cherry to an apple base, producing a pink colour and fruity aromas.

Completing the selection is Annapolis Spy Imperial, from Nova Scotia, Canada, made with Northern Spy apples. Its fuller structure, tannins and notes of wood, vanilla and baked apple offer a further expression of cider’s diversity.

The cider tasting in Nava takes place on Thursday 12 November 2026 at 7 pm and costs €12. To register, call or send a WhatsApp message to +34 650 613 779. Places are limited and will be allocated strictly in order of registration until the session is full.