The Valverán 20 Apples ice cider, from Pomaradas y Llagares de Sariego S.L., belonging to the prominent wine group Masaveu Wineries, has been awarded the Grand Gold at the third edition of the 2022 CINVE International Cider Competition, scoring over 95 points. In this Cider category, 12 Silver Medals, 14 Gold Medals, 7 Grand Golds, and one Grand CINVE were awarded.
This ice cider, produced in the heart of the cider region of Asturias in 2007—being pioneers in Spain—comes from organic apples of native Asturian varieties, and its production uses indigenous yeasts from the estate itself, giving it a unique and distinctive character. From the 2020 vintage, awarded in these prizes, only 19,535 bottles were produced.
Valverán 20 Apples has been awarded in various prestigious national and international competitions such as Gilbert & Gaillard, the International Cider Competition Sagardo Forum, the International Cider Gala, the Nava Cider Festival, Global Cider Masters, and the Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition.
Valverán 20 Apples Ice Cider
Valverán was founded in 1998 as the first and most exclusive ice cider in the Iberian Peninsula. The name Valverán 20 Apples comes from the number of apples required to produce each 37.5 cl bottle, as it contains the concentrated juice of at least 20 apples.
This beverage is produced through a complex process that involves freezing at -20°C, followed by fermentation for 10 months and aging on fine lees for 12 months. The entire process usually takes around two years from the moment the apples are harvested until the bottle reaches the consumer, while preserving its initial fruity and sensory qualities.
To create this exclusive and highly valued product, the visionary character of José Masaveu, General Director of Masaveu Wineries, was essential. This is his most personal project within the family, alongside nearly ten years of research and trials. It is the only one of the five Masaveu Wineries projects rooted in its native land, Asturias.
Nowadays, 40 hectares registered as organic, located in the Protected Designation of Origin Sidra de Asturias, specifically at Finca El Rebollar in Sariego (Asturias), with 20,000 apple trees of 11 different varieties (Blanquina, Xuanina, Regona, Raxao, Fuentes, Collaos, De la Riega, Verdialona, Perico, Durona de Tresali, and San Roqueña), allow for the production of no more than 20,000 bottles of this distinguished ice cider full of nuances. It can be described as a fresh and surprising drink that pairs perfectly with foie, cheeses, and lightly sweet desserts.
Masaveu Wineries
The Masaveu family began investing in the wine sector in 1974 with the establishment of Murua Wineries in the D.O.Ca. Rioja. However, the family’s vineyard plantations date back to the mid-19th century in Castellar del Vallès, their place of origin, where Federico Masaveu Rivell took the first steps that his descendants would continue a century later.
Since then, Masaveu Wineries has grown to become a benchmark for the quality of its wines across different DOs and for its environmental philosophy and utmost respect for the land, owning its own vineyard plantations, which allow it to convey the unique personality of each terroir in every bottle. In this way, all the projects undertaken by Masaveu Wineries in different regions are united under a common denominator: Fillaboa (DO Rías Baixas), Leda (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León), Murua (DOCa. Rioja), Pagos de Araiz (DO Navarra), and Valverán (Asturias).
