- Gipuzkoa
- Makes its own cider
- Txotx season
Ekain cider house
Caserío Irure Txiki, Astotxiki bidea, 4 (Ibañarrieta), 20740 Zestoa
History and atmosphere
About Ekain cider house
Ekain is Aitor Eizmendi’s organic cider brand. He makes it at the Irure Txiki farmhouse in the Ibañarrieta district of Zestoa, between Zumaia and Zestoa, with the Izarraitz range to the south and the Bay of Biscay to the north. The family bought the farmhouse some 35 years ago and has been expanding the orchard ever since; the cider has been sold under the Ekain brand since 2001. The name recalls the Ekain cave, near where Aitor’s mother was born, and the horse in the logo comes from its cave paintings.
The orchard has around 2,000 trees and some 30 Basque apple varieties, grown organically from the start. All the ciders, the juice and the vinegar are made solely from their own apples, blending sharp, bitter and neutral varieties. They describe it themselves as a coastal cider, given how close it is to the sea. Their cider carries the Euskal Sagardoa Designation of Origin.
At Irure Txiki they welcome visitors to show them the orchard, the press and the cellar and explain how the cider is made, and they offer tastings with a snack. Meals are served by prior booking only. Their products can be bought in the shop on their website.
Sources: Official website, Sagardoa (Ruta de la sidra vasca), Euskal Sagardoa (catálogo de la DO), Euskal Sagardoa: el txotx, por lo ecológico.
Gallery
Photos of Ekain cider house
From tree to bottle
Ekain’s own house cider
As well as a cider house, it’s a cider maker: it makes its own cider, and what’s served at the table comes from its own cellar.
- Making cider since
- 2001
Quality labels
- DO Euskal Sagardoa Designation of origin for natural Basque cider: only local apples from registered orchards in Álava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, not pasteurised and with no added gas. The French Basque Country joins through the cross-border PDO, pending in the EU. The seal goes on each bottle, not on the cider maker.
- Organic production Cider with the EU organic logo (the Euro-leaf), certified by the body in its territory: ENEEK-Ekolurra in the Basque Country, CPAEN in Navarre, an approved certifier in the French Basque Country (with the optional AB logo), COPAE, ODECA or CRAEGA.
What you can buy
Its bottles
Ekain’s ciders
Experiences
Beyond the table at Ekain cider house
Zestoa
Visit to the Irure Txiki farmhouse with tasting
Ekain opens its farmhouse, Irure Txiki, in Ibañarrieta (Zestoa), surrounded by meadows and hills. The visit…
Gipuzkoa
What it offers
Services and facilities
Services
At the table
Visits and sales
Reviews
What people think of Ekain cider house
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Location
How to get to Ekain cider house
Caserío Irure Txiki, Astotxiki bidea, 4 (Ibañarrieta), 20740 Zestoa Open in Google Maps-
By car
Look up the address in your satnav. In season, cider house car parks fill up early on Saturdays.
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By bus
Some bus routes run near the area. Check the timetable before you go, especially for the way back.
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As a group
Many cider houses arrange a coach for groups: ask when you book.
