Our nearest neighbour France specialises in ‘keeved’ ciders from traditional apple varietals. Keeving is an artisanal procedure that happens when fermentation stops early, leaving residual natural sugars in the juice thereby producing a sweetish tannic cider that’s low in alcohol. Some West Country producers in England use the keeving method too, but it is more common in France. French cider culture is especially strong in Britanny and Normandy where both regions have secured Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status for their ciders – Cornouaille and Pays d’Auge respectively. Many French cider-makers have wine-making heritage and this is apparent in the elegant bottle-fermented ciders served Champagne-style, complete with cork and musulet (the wire cage seal).
Spain is another land where cider is central to the culture, especially the Basque Country and Asturias – two northern regions where the climate is ideal for growing apples. Expect dry, tart, tangy, acidic and sometimes even acetic ciders that match the local food perfectly. A widely made style is sidra natural; to taste it at its best the cider needs a little aeration to rouse the dissolved gas and reveal the complexity of flavours. This is done by employing a highly theatrical technique known as escanciar la sidra, or ‘throwing the cider’. And it is literally that. The bottle is held above the head and cider is poured through the air with the intention of filling a glass held below the hip. Without practice the cider ends up on the floor (I know, I have done it) – what a terrible waste!
Down under in that lauded wine-growing continent of Australia apples flourish in several states, especially Victoria and Tasmania (which is nicknamed Apple Isle). Apples arrived in Australia from England with the ships of the First Fleet in 1788. Just as in the old country, cider is made from specific cider apples, or eating and cooking apples – sometimes a blend of all types. This means that there is no one style of cider in Australia. There are tannic and there are acidic, easy drinkers and also wine-like ciders for the dining table. Several makers produce methode champenoise ciders, where like Champagne they are bottled fermented, spending months on yeast lees before being disgorged and becoming ready to drink.