The ice cider Valverán 20 Apples 2020, produced by Masaveu Bodegas at its cidery in Sariego, Asturias, has been awarded the Master Medal at the international competition “The Global Cider Masters”, in its fourth edition (2022).
This competition, organized by Drink Business, awards the best ciders in each category with four different types of medals: bronze, silver, gold, and master — the latter being the highest distinction, which was earned by Valverán ice cider.
The Global Cider Masters 2022 was held in November in London, United Kingdom. In this competition, all the ciders were blind-tasted and evaluated by a panel of industry experts.
Valverán 20 Appleschas been honored in several prestigious national and international competitions such as the World Cider Awards, Gilbert & Gaillard, Salón Internacional de Las Sidras de Gala, CINVE, and the Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition.
Valverán 20 Apples Ice Cider
Valverán was founded in 1998, and in 2007 it launched this ice cider, the first and most exclusive in the Iberian Peninsula. The name “Valverán 20 Manzanas” 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 of freezing at minus 20 degrees Celsius, followed by fermentation for 10 months and aging on fine lees for 8 months. The entire process usually takes around two years from the moment the apples are harvested until the bottle reaches the final consumer, preserving its initial fruity and sensory qualities.
To create this exclusive and highly prized product, the visionary character of José Masaveu, CEO of Masaveu Wineries, was essential. This represents his most personal project within the family’s ventures, backed by nearly ten years of research and experimentation. It is the only one of Masaveu Wineries five projects rooted in its native land, Asturias.
Today, 40 hectares registered as organic, located in the Protected Designation of Origin Sidra de Asturias, specifically in 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), make it possible to produce a limited edition of 20,000 bottles of this distinguished ice cider full of nuances. It can be defined as a fresh and surprising drink that pairs perfectly with foie, cheeses, and mildly sweet desserts.
It can be purchased through the Masaveu Wineries online store or by clicking here.
Masaveu Wineries
The Masaveu family began investing in the wine sector in 1974, when they acquired Winery Murua in Rioja Alavesa. However, the family’s vineyard plantations date back to the mid-19th century, specifically 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 in the industry, recognized for the quality of its wines across various DOs and for its environmental philosophy and utmost respect for the land, on which it owns its own vineyard plantations. Thanks to these vineyards, each bottle conveys the unique personality of its terroir. In this way, all the projects undertaken by Masaveu Wineries across different regions share 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).
