Nine ciders, one table: the SISGA tasting at La Naveta

The SISGA tasting at La Naveta was a success. The audience took an active part in Xuaquín Menéndez’s guided tasting, comparing nine ciders from eight different places.

LA SIDRA. On 12 November, La Naveta in Nava welcomed cider specialist Xuaquín Menéndez, who invited guests to share their impressions of each cider and compare it with the previous glass.

Careful organisation encouraged everyone to join in. Ana Emilia Orddóñez, owner of La Naveta and host for the evening, gave the session the warmth of an informal gathering at an Asturian cider bar. Menéndez’s explanations prompted questions and discussion throughout the tasting.

The tasting opened with an alcohol-free Latvian cider. A dry Finnish cider offered an immediate contrast, and a medium-dry Latvian cider gave guests another chance to consider how sweetness and acidity shape the taste of the apple.

Reineta apples from Gran Canaria and Japan’s Gunma Meigetsu showed two different ways of bringing apple character to the fore. A Dutch plum cider and a Polish sour cherry cider were among the surprises. Canada’s Annapolis Spy Imperial closed the tasting with a fuller body and notes of wood.

The event introduces drinkers to international SISGA ciders and helps fund the Cofradía de los Siceratores. Tasting the ciders side by side let guests compare apple varieties, sweetness levels and the contribution of added fruit.

SISGA tasting announcement

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