1. Cider makers in Asturias embrace showmanship in its pouring rituals, allowing the public to watch as the cider and its destined glass are kept two to three feet apart during pouring to aerate the beverage.
2. La Route du Cidre, a 25-mile stretch of road in France’s Normandy region, was picked as No. 2 on the list for the massive number of cider producers lining the road.
3. New York was third on the list for the farms, apple orchards and cider mills that work in tandem to create the freshest cider for visitors.
4. Fourth was the Frankfurt region of Germany, which boasts several pubs serving Ebbelwoi, a traditional alcoholic cider variant popular with locals and visitors alike.
5. Fifth was Somerset, England, which has embraced cider as part of its local tradition since the 1600s, with frequent festivals, tastings and educational lectures devoted to the drink.

Here at UKCider we decided to make up our own top five cider and perry regions, to see how they would compare.

1) The Three Counties of Herefordshire, Worcester and Gloucester for having the largest diversity of cider and perry makers and producing the largest volume of real cider and perry.

2) The Basque region of Spain and France for the greatest revival in traditional cider making and for producing the most delicious natural ciders.

3) Wales for reintroducing  perry making and for celebrating Welsh cider in new areas.

4) Kent for keeping the Eastern counties style of cider going and for growing huge numbers of apple trees.

5) Devon for maintaining traditional farmhouse cider methods against all advice to adopt modern scientific techniques.

Just for fun, I wonder which would be your choices for the top 5 cider regions?

Class 1 Dry Cider

1. Ross on Wye
2. Rosie’s Triple D
3. Bridge Farm
Highly Commended – Tony Jones

Class 2 Medium/Sweet Cider

1. Oliver’s Cider & Perry
2. Equal second, Sheppy’s Cider and Once Upon a Tree
Highly Commended – Henney’s Cider

Class 3 Dry Perry

1. Ross on Wye
2. Orchard’s Cider & Perry
3. Barbourne Cider

Class 4 Medium/Sweet Perry

1. Heck’s
2. Butford Organic
3. Ralph’s

Class 5 – Bottle Fermented / bottle conditioned Cider or Perry

1. Oliver’s Cider & Perry
No other prizes awarded in this category.

Best in Show (by a hairsbreadth from Ross on Wye Dry) Oliver’s Medium Cider
Best producer in Herefordshire – Oliver’s
Best producer in Worcestershire – Barbourne
Best producer in Gloucestershire – Orchard’s
Highly commended was a pear cider 9 made from dessert pears) from Fox
Barrel Cider, USA.

Congratulations to all the prize-winners. The judges agreed that the
standard was generally very high this year.

Ukcider member Tom Oliver of Oliver’s Cider and Perry sent in this press release:

Perry – A Curious Drink for a Slow World

For over 400 years, up until the early 20th Century, perry making was
one of the traditional crafts of the western Midlands and played an
important part in the rural economy. In the late 17th Century the
product was in significant demand and was held in high esteem
throughout the whole Country. Perry was kept for special guests and
family occasions and, when bottle-fermented, certain perries were
accepted as being comparable to a fine Champagne.

Today, in the early 21st Century, ‘true’ perry – made entirely from
genuine perry pears is now only produced in small quantities -
primarily in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. These
counties can therefore be regarded as THE home of perry. It was for
this reason that in 1991 The National Collection of Perry Pears was
established at the Malvern Showground. This unique and valuable
collection contains at least one example of all the accepted vintage
perry pear varieties associated with The Three Counties – some 90
different types – many of which are now very rare indeed.

Pear Cider or Perry?

Although the “Pear Cider” is currently being used as an alternative
name for “Perry”, many would argue that ‘true’ perry should only be
made from traditional varieties of perry pears – as it was during its
17th Century hey-day and up until about 30 years ago. Pear Cider can
be made from any variety of pears, including imported pear
concentrate. A range of other ingredients are also permitted. Some
pear ciders can be primarily produced from fermented apple juice, with
pear juice added as flavouring.

In 1993 EU legislation came into force, which provides a system -
Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) – for the protection of food
names on a geographical or traditional recipe basis (similar to the
‘Appellation Controll=E9e’ system for wines). Products named as
Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire perries are PGI
registered and, as such, the pears used for fermentation can only be
locally grown traditional perry pears.

Furthermore, the international Slow Food movement has now formally
recognised and listed, in its “Ark of Taste”, Three Counties and Welsh
Marches Perry. Such products can only be made from 100% fresh juice
from locally grown perry pears, with no artificial flavourings,
colourings and sweeteners being permitted. On behalf of Slow Food – an
organisation that aims to protect excellent gastronomic products that
are in danger of disappearing – the recently formed Three Counties and
Welsh Marches Perry Presidium (working group) oversees production
standards to ensure product quality and authenticity.

To recognise and celebrate the special association between this
esteemed product – perry – and its traditional home in the Three
Counties, the Malvern Autumn Show host’s the International Perry
Festival, which is being held as part of Festival of Food & Wine in
the Avon Hall. A number of participatory events are planned, which
include:

• Tutored tastings of speciality and rare perries in the Cookery
  Theatre …. and …. your chance to vote for the products you most like
  for the “Peoples Choice – Perry” award;
• Perry sales and tastings on a number of producer stands;
• An opportunity to meet and talk to local perry producers and
  members of the Three Counties and Welsh Marches Perry Presidium;
• A display of all fruiting perry pears in this challenged year
  … plus …. an opportunity for anyone to bring in a sample of pears for
  possible identification;
• Expert-led orchard walk around the National Collection of Perry
  Pears with Chris Fairs (Bulmers) and Charles Martell.
• Cooking with perry and serving perry with meals – tastings and
  recipe ideas.

There will also be a range of other perry related exhibits and
exhibitors on hand to illustrate the wonderful heritage and diversity
associated with these fine products. You will be able to find out
about future perry-related activities, events and even courses to help
you to help you learn more about perry and – indeed – become a perry
maker yourself.

On whichever of the days you are visiting the show, we would like to
welcome you to the Avon Hall. Be there.