For the past five centuries– 461 years to be exact– Astarbe Sagardotegia has been a titan in Basque cider making. Their influence is so palpable that two common apple varieties in the region are "Astarbe", the family's surname, and "Mendiola", the name of their farmhouse. A blend of these two varietals with a handful of other heirloom apples are ground and pressed into stainless steel tank, where the must sits for a day, before being transferred to wooden casks for fermentation. After resting on lees for two months, it is bottled unfiltered. The result is a slightly effervescent dry cider with crisp acidity, herbal aromas, and fresh sharp apple notes on the palate. Enjoy alongside pollo al chilindrón, a local chicken and pepper stew.