Cider of the year - 92p

This is a special bottle. Cider from Hardanger is to Norway, what Champagne is to France. And there are many excellent ciders being hand crafted in Hardanger. 
Apple farmer Olav Bleie is one of the best producers we have. Focusing on varieties such as Discovering, Aroma and Summer Red, he is continually experimenting with new ideas.
And «Svans» is such a project. 
See, Olav produces one of Norway’s best Ice Ciders. In this production the last part, the tail (Svans), doesn’t have the right concentration for the Ice Cider. Instead of scraping it, he came up with the brilliant idea of using this in a dry cider. The result was astonishing, so much so that he won Cider of the year 2021. The cider is unique and to me holds some of the same qualities you’d find in a top end Riesling from The Mosel Valley in Germany. Complexity and acidity is impressive and makes it a very strong candidate for pairing with tricky food combinations. It will handle Asian dishes that packs sweetness and spice, as well as rich fatty dishes from pork. 
It’s also a quite meditative drinking experience on its own.

Tasting Notes

Alde Svans - 369kr

Golden yellow colour.
Intriguing and delicate aromas of fresh and baked apples. You’ve also got dried fruits, French garden herbs and lemon zest. 
Rich and powerful in the mouth, but with elegance and great acidity. Nice notes of apples, lemon and herbs. Juicy with refreshing pearls of air. 
Long finish. 

With food
It will handle Asian dishes that packs sweetness and spice, as well as rich fatty dishes from pork.