he origins of cider are not exactly known, but it´s understood the plant came over from Africa, probably brought the first time by the Arabs. Other theories exist that we learnt about making cider because of the Romans, that they first taught the basques the technique. There is a reference from a roman Plinio in the 1st century, where cider and a delicacy somewhat like apple quince, is mentioned as having been made by the Basques.

There aren´t too many written references to cider. The oldest that appears was delivered by Sancho the Old to the Monastery of Leire. In other documents from the 12th and 13th centuries, cider and apples are mentioned. Pilgrims from the 15th century as well have left written reference to cider and the apple orchards. Since the 16th century cider production started to become regulated by the old Basque Foral laws, with the interest in protecting the native apple and cider tradition in this area.

The seventeenth century saw a decline in apple trees, therefore also the consumption of cider; one main reason was the rise in the cultivation of corn, and another was the reduction in sea activity on the coast (seamen were very large consumers of cider!) The increase in the drinking of wine that came mainly from the Navarra and Alava regions, also made its impact in ciders decline.

By the end of the nineteenth century the native apple tree had practically disappeared. This led logically to the steep decline in cider-houses during the twentieth century: In the 30´s the annual production of cider was 30 million litres, in 1967 it went down to 1 million and a quarter (the lowest in history).

In these last few decades we are having something of a revival in the culture of cider and incredibly its now become fashionable. LONG MAY THIS CONTINUE!