Cider or "apple wine", from the Basque word "sagardoa", has been the traditional drink of many Basque farmhouses for centuries.

Today it is still produced naturally under the Euskal Sagardoa Designation of Origin; much of it in Gipuzkoa, especially in Astigarraga and Hernani, and also in some areas of Bizkaia and Álava. 

Throughout the land, the Txotx! season is particularly intense, beginning mid-January it has its origins in the cider-tastings offered by the cider makers to prospective buyers, directly from the barrel, by making a small hole that was closed at the end of the tasting with a zotza (toothpick).  This custom has been adapted and popularised, turning it into a real food and wine experience not to be missed.   

If you want to soak up the cider culture, download the Sagardomapa and find out about the plans and experiences offered by the Cider Territory.