Val D'Ornón
Menéndez is the biggest cider maker you've never heard of. Think of them as the third in the triad of big industrial cider makers, along with Cortina and Castañón. This is their DOP expression, a straight-ahead apple forward, but not machu cider.
Appearance
Asturians put great stock in the proper appearance and presentation of the cider. Perhaps more so than anywhere else I’ve ever drunk cider. For that reason, there is a well-developed vocabulary in Asturias for describing the visual aspects of sidra natural.
| Color | Straw (3 SRM) |
| Clarity | Bright |
| Espalme | Panizal: lively carbon dioxide, well balanced |
| Pegue | medium sized bubbles, good adherence, some legs |
Mouthfeel
Mouthfeel refers to the physical sensations (as opposed to the aromas and flavors) of the cider. It refers to textures that touch the tongue, roof of the mouth, teeth, throat, and to some extent, the aftertaste sensations.
| Body | Medium |
| Sensation | lively and effervescent |
| Finish | Medium (15-30 Seconds) |
| Balance | Finu: a cider that is "clean", "clear", and "balanced" - The ideal cider flavor profile |
Aromas & Flavors
Sidra natural has a set of basic aromas and flavors that, to one degree or another, all examples exhibit. Here I rate the relative strength of those basic flavors, and afterwards discuss any additional flavor or aroma components that are noteworthy.
| Alcohol | Alma: Balanced alcohol |
| Apple Flavors | Balanced apple flavors |
| Acetic Flavors | Pleasant balanced acetic qualities |
| Astringent Flavors | Secante: refreshingly dry and stimulating to the palate. |
Tasting Notes
Pleasant nose, lots of green apple aromas. Restrained, elegant flavor profile - balance is the watchword here.
About Cider Tasting
This evaluation standard is my own. It is not created or endorsed by any official body in Asturias or elsewhere. I designed it based on the work of the Brewer’s Association and the work of Travis Robert Alexander & Brianna L. Ewing Valliere of the Washington State University Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources. It is also informed by the traditional vocabulary used to describe cider in Asturias. You can read more about my methodology, my standard for evaluating Asturian cider, and the descriptive lexicon I use.
