Cider: New at Piccantino

Cider has newly been added to our stock at Piccantino. Now we've taken a moment to take a closer look at this delicious beverage. Cider has a long history, and in recent years has enjoyed better and better quality. 

Some countries differentiate between apple wines and ciders. The production of apple wine is very simple: it is simply made of pressed fruit. The juice obtained by pressing is then fermented, although not all ciders or apple wines use fermented juice. During fermentation, yeasts convert the sugar contained in the fruit juice into alcohol. This process takes between 10 and 20 days.

For apple wine, the juice from grapes, apples or pears are used. Ciders made with other fermented fruit juices cannot be called ciders in Austria. The types of apples and pears used in Austria to create cider are specifically designated as cider fruits. These fruits are characterized by a high content of tannins.

Cider has a long tradition in Europe. The Celts introduced the drink primarily to promote digestion. In later centuries apple wine was highly appreciated, mainly because it can be easily produced. Documents dating back to the 19th century underline the importance of this drink for the diet of the people of that time.

Today, ciders and apple wines are increasingly becoming a luxury food. Therefore, you can now use different criteria to assess the quality of the wine. An excellent, high-quality apple wine has a clear color without cloudiness, a fruity odor and naturally occurring carbon dioxide. The alcohol content is usually between 6-8% vol.

Through the interplay of acidity, tannins and residual sugar, different flavors can be distinguished: mild, semi-mild, strong and crisp.

In Austria, large areas of land in Styria are used for apple growing. Here the land offers optimal conditions for cider production. The different varieties of apples with their different characteristics of taste are the basis for varietal ciders in several flavors, from dry to semi-dry.

Here at Piccantino we also have apple ciders. The cider we carry is the first type of Styrian brand cider that combines the elegance and flavor of Styrian apples and serves it in a bubbly form.