Les Arriondes to decide the 2026 Asturies Cider Pouring Championship

The 32nd Les Arriondes Cider Pouring Competition takes place on Sunday 8 November at 5:30 pm in Plaza Venancio Pando. The season’s final event arrives with the overall title still to be decided.

LA SIDRA.— Les Arriondes will be the focus of professional cider pouring this Sunday. The main town of Parres hosts its 32nd competition, announced by the organisers as the last round of the 2026 Asturies championship. The Arriondas cider pouring final starts at 5:30 pm in Plaza Venancio Pando, according to the event poster.

The competition brings the 33rd Official Asturies Cider Pouring Championship, presented in Villaviciosa in April, to a close. The season has taken competitors to several towns, including Navia and its Cider Festival, before this decisive meeting in Les Arriondes.

Jorge Vargas and Wilkin Aquiles in the spotlight

The contest between Jorge Vargas and Wilkin Aquiles, colleagues at La Montera Picona de Ramón cider house in Xixón, has been a feature of the season. The announcement recalls Wilkin’s victory in the previous round in Cangues d’Onís. Jorge, meanwhile, won the AgroSiero competition on 13 September, ahead of Wilkin and Salvador Ondó.

The two La Montera Picona professionals also shared the 2025 championship podium: Wilkin finished second and Jorge third, behind Salvador Ondó, the 2025 Asturies champion. At that awards ceremony, La Montera Picona also received the prize for the best cider-house pouring team.

Scoring and competition prizes

Consistency matters in the standings. Under the championship scoring system, each round awards 25 points to the winner, 20 to the runner-up and 16 to third place. Each competitor’s lowest score is discarded at the season’s end. Judges assess pouring technique and style, as well as the amount of cider served.

The poster lists eight overall prizes: €150, €140, €130, €120, €110, €100, €90 and €80 for first to eighth place, each accompanied by a trophy. The top three local competitors receive €50, €40 and €30 respectively, also with trophies. The event is organised by Parres Council, the Asturies Cider Pourers’ Association and the PDO Regulatory Council, with LA SIDRA among the sponsors.

Cider at the Chestnut and Garden Produce Fair

The competition is part of the 35th Chestnut and Garden Produce Fair, continuing a programme in which cider plays a prominent role. On 1 November, the fifth Parres Homemade Cider Competition and Tasting was won by Moisés Fernández Vega, from Fíos, in an edition featuring 35 cider batches.

The championship also highlights a craft passed on in cider houses and through practical cider pouring workshops. On Sunday, that skill will be put to the test one final time, with spectators witnessing the conclusion of the season.

Competition poster adapted to landscape format.