When we speak of the wine and viticultural tradition of Álava, our gaze immediately flies south, toward the sea of vineyards of Rioja Alavesa that define the landscape and economy of the region. However, the Alavese territory is a mosaic of climatic and cultural contrasts. If we travel north, crossing the green, Atlantic valleys of the Cuadrilla de Ayala—in municipalities such as Amurrio, Llodio, or Arespalditza—the landscape changes completely to give way to the historical dominance of the apple tree.
The Ayalés farmhouse and apple culture
For centuries, life in the farmhouses of this northwestern region was sustained by a rural economy of subsistence and polyculture, perfectly adapted to the humidity and valleys of the Atlantic environment. In this ecosystem, native apple trees were a fundamental resource.
Unlike the large commercial wine circuits of the south, cider production in the Ayala valleys responded to a logic of local roots:
Traditional presses (larreak): Each rural center or cluster of farmhouses had infrastructure for pressing apples, taking advantage of bitter and acidic varieties perfectly acclimated to the territory.
The pulse of local fairs and taverns: Cider made at home not only supplied the family, but was the axis of sociability at fairs and markets in the region, bringing neighbors together around a seasonal product genuinely linked to the land.
A liquid heritage that enriches our province
This historical duality makes Álava an exceptional province from a gastronomic and cultural point of view. While the south consolidated the wines of the Ebro as an international emblem, the north of the province preserved the culture of natural cider in the valleys of Ayala, keeping alive an Atlantic hallmark that continues to inspire local producers and artisans today.
Recovering and valuing this memory is to reclaim that the land of Álava holds as many traditions as there are landscapes within its territory.
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