“Hau da aurtengo Nafarroako sagardo berria!” (“This is this year’s new Navarrese cider!”). With that cry, the aizkolari (competitive wood-chopper) Iker Vicente Saralegi, from Otsagabia, called the first txotx (the ritual of drinking cider straight from the cask) of the Navarrese season on Thursday at the Toki Alai cider house in Lekunberri. The event, billed at the joint launch in San Sebastián as the opening of Navarre’s cider houses, was organised by Dolarea, the Navarre Cider Makers’ Association.

Vicente came fresh from the month’s rest he has taken since winning his wager against Otaño in Tolosa on 3 January. His record includes four consecutive Basque Country championships and eleven Navarre titles. He told Noticias de Navarra he was delighted that Dolarea had thought of “a minority sport like ours” and that he intends to make the most of the season before going back to training for the World Championship in Australia in April. Inaxio Perurena was also invited; he retired last year and can now enjoy txotx without the restrictions of training.

Five cider houses and 150,000 litres

The hosts were brothers Ismael and David Urbizu, the second generation of a house their father opened in 1994. Toki Alai is one of Dolarea’s five cider houses, along with Martitxonea (Aldatz), Larraldea (Lekaroz), Linddurrenborda (Lesaka) and Perkatzenea (Madotz). Between them, the five have made nearly 150,000 litres this year, mostly from local apples and after a good harvest, with ciders at different stages of maturation.

To go with them, the classic cider house menu, the same one served at the opening: chorizo cooked in cider, salt cod omelette, cod chunks with peppers, T-bone steak (txuleta) and, for dessert, cheese with walnuts and quince paste.

Bookings are going well. According to Dolarea’s secretary, Inaxio Begiristain, people started calling before the end of the year and “Saturdays in February and March are practically full”; Sundays and some Fridays, with company lunches, are also busy. The cider houses open at weekends (the one in Lesaka on Thursdays too) and take groups of at least 15 people during the week. Martitxonea will be the first to close, in early May; Toki Alai and Larraldea will carry on until 31 May, Linddurrenborda until San Fermín and Perkatzenea until August.

Navarre on the threshold of Euskal Sagardoa

The event was attended by Navarre’s minister for Rural Development and the Environment, José Mari Aierdi, who described cider as “an important excuse to get to know the region”. He explained that the Government of Navarre is working with the Basque Government for Navarre to join the Euskal Sagardoa Designation of Origin and to build a common brand; its inclusion, he said, is awaiting European approval, which he hopes will come during 2026. Naiz had already reported at the season launch that the Malus Bat project, which seeks to bring Navarre under the same designation as the rest of the Basque cider houses, is awaiting the final permits from Europe.

Olatz Mitxelena, from the designation, added that with Navarre on board there will be 250 apple varieties.

Sources