Publication of the communication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 5(4) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27
Date: 2026-01-15
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Principality of Asturias, Spain, cider, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products








C_202600242EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/242


15.1.2026






Publication of the communication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 5(4) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 (1)

(C/2026/242)

COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT
(Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143)


                     ‘Sidra de Asturias / Sidra d’Asturies’
                  


EU reference number: PDO-ES-0260-AM03 – 16.10.2025
                  

1.   Name of product


               ‘Sidra de Asturias / Sidra d’Asturies’
            
2.   Geographical indication type







☑


PDO










☐


PGI










☐


GI




3.   Sector







☑


Agricultural products










☐


Wines










☐


Spirit drinks




4.   Country to which the geographical area belongs

Spain
5.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment


Name

Directorate-General for Rural Development and Agri-Food – Government of Asturias
6.   Qualification as standard amendment

The amendments described and explained below do not include a change in the name of the protected geographical designation or in the use of that name, nor do they risk voiding the link with the geographical area or entail new restrictions on the placing on the market of the product. They are therefore ‘standard amendments’ within the meaning of Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
7.   Description of the approved standard amendment(s)


Heading

Amendment to the ‘volatile acidity’ parameter

Description

Description:
There has been an amendment to the upper limit of the ‘volatile acidity’ parameter laid down in Section B.3 ‘Physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics’ of the product specification. It has been changed from 1,99 (< 2,0) to < 2,19 (< 2,2) g/l of acetic acid, in accordance with Royal Decree 72/2017 of 10 February 2017, approving the quality standard for the different categories of natural cider and cider. Points amended in the product specification: Section B.3 ‘Description of the product’, Physical and organoleptic characteristics. Points amended in the single document: Point 3.2. ‘Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies’.
Reason:
The previously established limit (volatile acidity < 2,0 g/l) imposes certain quality parameters on the production of the protected products (natural cider and natural sparkling cider). In practice, these parameters have denied the PDO to certain ciders that fully complied with the rest of the requirements of the product specification, including with their organoleptic characteristics.
Since 2018, in carrying out its inspection duties, the Regulatory Board has been aware of this situation. It has been finding batches that exceed the volatile acidity limits in a range of 2,0 ≤ X ≤ 2,19 g/l but comply with the other requirements of the product specification. Between 2022 and 2024, a more detailed analysis was conducted, based on the results of comparative sensory testing involving the organoleptic characteristics laid down in the specification and the concentrations of acetic acid, the main volatile acid present in cider. It is necessary to control the acidity as high concentrations can give rise to aromas and flavours not characteristic of the protected ciders, thereby affecting typicity and sensory quality. Nevertheless, the results showed that volatile acidity values between 1,99 and 2,19 are not correlated with changes in the physical and chemical characteristics of the product, or with the sensory properties typical of the cider and natural sparkling cider covered by the PDO. In any case, any product with an unacceptable concentration would be automatically detected and excluded from the PDO as part of the final organoleptic check. This is because all the ciders must pass a sensory analysis to check for the presence of the positive qualities described in the product specification, as well as to check for the absence of defects.
These results demonstrate that the current limit is not justified in organoleptic terms. Its origin seems to lie in somewhat excessive caution when the product specification was drawn up. The aim was to prevent any products that could have sensory defects from being placed on the market. Thanks to the systems of checks currently in place, this could not happen today.
Given all of the above, the proposed amendment is considered a standard amendment, in accordance with point 2 of this document. It is a technical alteration extending the acceptable range for volatile acidity. It does not change the essential characteristics of the product or compromise its quality or reputation.






☑


This amendment affects the single document.





Title

Amendment to the organoleptic characteristics: transparent and bright

Description

Description:
The descriptors ‘transparent’ and ‘bright’ have been removed from the appearance of the natural cider.
Points amended in the product specification: Section B.3 ‘Physical and organoleptic characteristics’, Organoleptic characteristics in natural cider, Appearance.
Points amended in the single document: Point 3 ‘Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff’, 3.2 ‘Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies’, Natural cider.
Reason:
The product specification includes organoleptic characteristics of natural cider (appearance: transparent and bright) which do not describe the product correctly. This has been apparent since the PDO was registered and, more specifically, since stricter controls have been applied to the organoleptic evaluation (with the tasting panel being made professional) in compliance with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025.
As a result of this study, it has been found that natural cider is basically translucent, i.e. light passes through it but it is not possible to see through any quantity. It is not transparent, meaning light would pass through and it would be possible to see through a quantity of it. In some cases, natural cider is transparent if, prior to bottling, it is subjected to a process of microbiological stabilisation. In addition, the way in which the product reflects the light (brightness) is highly variable, ranging from vibrant (brightly shining ciders) to dull (ciders with limited shine), depending on the level of transparency and on its colour.
According to the existing product specification, natural cider is considered transparent and bright. Nevertheless, the description lacks sufficient precision. This means that, if the current characteristics remained the same, the product would only be acceptable if it were strictly transparent and bright, even though this detail has no effect on the other characteristics described, or on acceptance by consumers who know the product.
With this amendment, the product specification more accurately reflects the identity of the protected product, meaning its actual characteristics, without containing any description that is unjustified or restrictive regarding its appearance.
This update is a standard amendment, in accordance with point 2 of this document. It is a technical alteration that improves the description of the product.






☑


This amendment affects the single document.





Title

Presentation of the physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the protected products

Description

Description:
The presentation has been amended concerning the physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics that define the protected products. The changes to the presentation include:






—


Physical, chemical and organoleptic parameters presented in separate tables, differentiating between natural cider and natural sparkling cider;










—


Regrouping of the organoleptic characteristics to improve sensory consistency: colour and appearance, aroma, flavour, gaseous properties.




Points amended in the product specification: Section B.3 ‘Physical and organoleptic characteristics’.
Points amended in the single document: this amendment does not affect the single document.
Reason:
It is considered necessary to amend the presentation of the physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics that define the protected products to make it clear and easier to understand. Specifically, the information has been reorganised into different tables that clearly distinguish between natural cider and natural sparkling cider. They also separate the physical and chemical characteristics from the organoleptic.
Furthermore, the information about the organoleptic characteristics has been rearranged so that it is consistent with the senses through which these characteristics are perceived: taste, aroma and appearance. This is also consistent with the evaluation conducted by the Regulatory Board.






—


Natural cider: the colour of the product is described as part of its appearance, as it is perceived through the sense of sight. The gaseous character of the product (subtle sensation of natural spritz) is described as part of its flavour, as it is perceived through the sense of taste.










—


Natural sparkling cider: the colour and gaseous character of the product are described as part of its appearance, as they are perceived through the sense of sight. It the case of the gaseous character, this involves the persistence of the beads, bubbles and delicate circles on the surface, as mentioned in the product specification.










☐


This amendment affects the single document.





Title

Updating of various agricultural questions concerning the cultivation of the cider apples used to make the product

Description

Description:
Information relating to certain agricultural requirements has been removed. These requirements concerned the cultivation of cider apples used to make the product. This amendment results in greater clarity and avoids any restrictive or optional references that do not affect the quality of the product. Specifically:






(a)


The reference to planting in ‘square, rectangular or staggered formation’ has been removed and replaced by ‘regular planting formation’.










(b)


The planting density has been replaced by the planting plan. The density constituted a range between 100 and 921 trees/hectare. It has been replaced by a general planting plan which covers between 100 and 1 000 trees/hectare. The criteria has been established for measuring or checking plantation density using the Spanish Land Parcel Geographical Information System (SIGPAC) to demarcate the orchards being assessed.










(c)


References to specific rootstocks have been removed.










(d)


The wording of the sub-section on ‘Soil maintenance’ has been adapted according to the cultivation techniques:






—


Pasturing has been added as a technique for [maintaining] the turf from the second year on.










—


The provision has been removed that required mowing or clearing of plant materials twice a year in order to maintain grassy paths.








Points amended in the product specification:






(a)


Section E.1 ‘Fixed parameters’ (planting systems)










(b)


Section E.1 ‘Fixed parameters’ (planting formation and density)










(c)


Section E.1 ‘Fixed parameters’ (rootstocks)










(d)


Section E.2 ‘Cultivation techniques’ (ground maintenance)




Points amended in the single document: This amendment does not affect the single document.
Reason:
The amendments listed at points (a), (b), (c) and (d), on fixed parameters and cultivation techniques, are justified in technical and operational terms as follows:






(a)


Reference to planting systems (Section E.1)




A regular plantation is an area of land where plants of the same species are cultivated according to established systems. There are numerous regular cultivation systems, some more traditional and others more innovative. They include the square, rectangular and staggered formation as well as ‘cinco de oros’ (staggered square), ‘pata de gallo’ (staggered rectangle) and others. However, the product specification stipulates some specific planting systems depending on each type of crop listed: traditional (extensive) or vertical axis (semi-intensive):






—


Traditional or extensive cultivation: uses a square, rectangular or staggered formation with a high-growing system;










—


Vertical axis or semi-intensive: uses the rectangular formation.




The information about the planting systems is out-of-date. This risks excluding other regular systems of cider-apple production from coverage by the PDO. Furthermore, this situation does not encourage adaptability or innovative management of production. For this reason, we have identified the need for the planting systems used to be general, and to remove the references to specific systems.
This amendment allows greater flexibility in the design of holdings, making it easier for them to be adapted to the topographical, structural and agricultural conditions of each parcel. Removing the requirement to use specific planting formations means avoiding a technical lack of flexibility which could have limiting effects. At the same time, the amendment brings greater uniformity to crop management.






(b)


Planting formation and density (section E.1)




The planting density has been replaced by the planting plan. The density constituted a range between 100 and 921 trees/hectare, set out in the table ‘Planting formations and density’. It has been replaced by a general planting plan which covers between 100 and 1 000 trees/hectare. This makes the rule easier to understand, avoiding incorrect interpretations and facilitating practical application in the field.
Specifically, the slight increase in the maximum density (from 921 to 1 000 trees) arises from a need to correct an error in the table of planting formations and density, set out in Section E.1. The maximum planting density laid down for a semi-intensive crop is 921 trees/hectare (formation of 5 × 2 metres), but it should be 1 000 trees. This is calculated as the quotient of surface area of one hectare (10 000 m2) and the surface area occupied by each plant in a formation of 5 × 2 metres (10 m2).
The proposed range of densities includes the planting formations laid down in the original product specification, both in extensive and traditional systems (low densities) and semi-intensive or on a vertical axis (medium densities).
Furthermore, it is also specified that the density is calculated on the basis of the orchards in the SIGPAC (Spanish Land Parcel Geographical Information System) located in adjoining parcels. This introduces an objective criterion supported by an official tool now widely used in the agricultural sector. In terms of checking, using SIGPAC demarcations improves the traceability and operability of the system. This is because it allows reliable verification of compliance with the density requirements.






(c)


Reference to rootstocks (Section E.1)




A rootstock is the part of the plant onto which another variety, with different characteristics, is grafted. A specific rootstock is selected depending on the type of plantation, soil, variety etc. The selected rootstock can influence the size of the tree, its resistance to diseases, adaptation to different soils and climates, and the quality and quantity of its yield.
The existing product specification refers to some specific rootstocks: MM 106, MM 111, M7 and the same species. This blocks access to scientific advances in the field focused on disease resistance, tolerance of adverse conditions and efficiency in agricultural production. The characteristics of rootstocks can change. Access to new varieties will therefore make it possible to optimise the productivity and quality of the plants, without affecting the protected product, thereby improving the general conditions for cultivating cider apples.
For this reason, references to specific types of rootstock have been removed.






(d)


Soil maintenance (Section E.2)




Pasturing has been added as a technique for maintaining the turf. It is a sustainable practice that contributes to soil management without affecting orchard maintenance.
Similarly, the obligation to mow or clear plant materials at least twice a year has been removed. Setting a strict minimum number of interventions makes no sense. What matters is maintaining sufficient grass cover in the orchard and keeping it free of scrub and bushes. This can be achieved through one or more interventions per year, depending on the climate and the location of parcels.
The amendment gives the product specification greater consistency with actual agricultural practice, while still keeping the producers’ obligation to ensure that the soil is in an appropriate state. This situation can be checked as part of the usual inspections, making it unnecessary to stipulate a minimum number of mowings.
Amendment 3.4 concerns various agricultural matters and is by nature technical and operational. In no way does it impinge on practices directly or indirectly affecting the specific characteristics of the protected product. Therefore there is no risk of voiding the link with the geographical area. Furthermore it is compliant with all of the other requirements listed at point 2 of this document that qualify the amendment as standard.






☐


This amendment affects the single document.





Title

Updating of the information regarding certain stages or steps in the production process

Description

Description:
In general terms, the purpose of the amendments is to find a more specific focus on the production techniques for the protected product that are consistent with the product requirements. In addition, there have been improvements to the structure of the sections describing the production process or method of production. In the original product specification, these appeared in separate places across various sections, in Sections E.4 to E.14 of the product specification.
The amendments cover the following questions:






(a)


Detailed references to the transport of the apples have been removed, as have details of the management of storage, keeping only the more general details of the process.










(b)


The title of Section E.4 ‘Extracting the apple must’ in the existing product specification has been changed to ‘Production method’. The section has been restructured to include the current points 6, 7, 11, 12, 13 and 14.










(c)


The reference to the maceration process has been deleted.










(d)


With regard to pressing:






—


The description of the extraction system has been simplified, and limited to explaining the difference between slow and fast pressing.










—


References to certain traditional practices have been removed, including making cuts in the apple to facilitate drainage of the must.










—


The references have been removed that concerned the time taken for slow pressing and to the minimum yields in the slow and fast pressing systems.














(e)


The references have been removed that concerned the practices of pre-fermentation clarification, clarification and stabilisation.










(f)


A specific reference has been added concerning transfer of the must produced by pressing to the vessels or containers in which fermentation will take place.










(g)


The wording has been edited regarding the maturation stage, linking the duration to the production of the characteristics that define the protected products. The reference to systematic acidity and pH checks has been removed.










(h)


The reference has been removed that concerned racking as a specific stage in the production process.




Points amended in the product specification:






(a)


Section E.3 (transport and storage)










(b)


Section E.4 (restructuring of title and content)










(c)


Section E.4 (maceration)










(d)


Section E.4 (pressing)










(e)


Sections E.5, E.9 and E.10 (pre-fermentation clarifications, clarification and stabilisation)










(f)


Section E.6 (fermentation)










(g)


Section E.7 (maturation)










(h)


Section E.8 (racking)




Points amended in the single document: point 3.4. ‘Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area’.
In addition, the following wording has been removed from this section of the single document: ‘in this document’ and ‘quality manual’. This is because it does not make sense to retain them as all the requirements relating to the PDO are in the product specification.
Reason:






(a)


References to transport and storage of the apples (Section E.3)




This amendment is intended to avoid detailed rules regarding logistical aspects that can vary according to the particular conditions of each operator. This does not affect the quality of the final products, provided that there is compliance with the general principles of storing the raw material. Indeed, inappropriate storage would be indirectly apparent in the final product.






(b)


The title of Section E.4 ‘Extracting the apple must’ in the existing product specification has been changed to ‘Production method’. The first subsection ‘Production of the apple must’ has been included.




The amendment is intended to:






—


maintain a coherent overview of the production process. This is because the existing structure presents the different stages as independent sections. This could give the impression that they are separate operations and not part of a continuous process. The new arrangement provides a comprehensive and coherent overview of the process, consistent with the actual production method;










—


improve readability and understanding of the product specification, both for operators and for the inspection body.










(c)


Maceration (Section E.4)




The reference to maceration has been removed as it is an optional practice. As such, removing it does not affect the requirements, and also contributes to a clearer text.






(d)


Pressing (Section E.4)




The amendment is intended to aid the general understanding of the process. For this purpose:
Yield limits are stated more clearly, as they are already laid down in the existing product specification according to each system, with specific figures given: no more than 75 % for fast pressing and 80 % for slow pressing. References to minimum yields have been removed as producing a smaller yield simply reduces the volume but does not adversely affect the quality of the ciders. In addition, the yield depends on the variety, ripeness, availability of water during the growing year, and the technology used. Therefore, setting a fixed minimum yield could be unfairly negative in dry growing years, for less juicy varieties or in the case of oenological decisions based on quality, for example to use only must from the ‘first pressings’. Again, reference to the slow, or traditional, pressing duration of 2 to 4 days has been removed. This is because it is necessary to adjust the pressing time depending on the technology available and the thermal variation, which is exacerbated by climate change. The latter directly affects the speed of drainage and must extraction. However, the characteristics of the final product are not affected. Furthermore, references to some traditional practices have been removed, including making cuts at specific times during the traditional pressing to create draining channels for the must. In this way, the process is being adapted to new extractive technologies thanks to technological innovation.






(e)


Clarification and stabilisation (Sections E.5, E.9 and E.10)




As explained in point 3.2 of this amendment application, natural cider is a translucent product, meaning that its appearance is cloudy, to varying degrees.
Clarification and stabilisation are oenological techniques that are usually presented as complementary, as stabilisation generally requires the product to have been clarified first. The purpose of clarification is to remove the particulates in suspension that cause the cloudiness that occurs during the cider-making process. It can take place either before fermentation (pre-fermentation clarification) or after fermentation (clarification). The purpose of stabilisation, on the other hand, is to prevent further development of the product, avoiding precipitations, refermentations or changes that could affect its keeping qualities. In both cases, they are stages intended to produce clearer and more stable products.
Taking into account the above, clarification and stabilisation are not considered essential stages in production as the presence of cloudiness is normal in natural cider. Clarification and stabilisation can be carried out in certain circumstances, but they are not vital in producing the product. For this reason, references to these processes have been removed from the product specification (Section E5, E9 and E10).






(f)


Fermentation (Section E.6)




The purpose of the amendment is to improve the wording of the process by including information about the transfer of the must produced by pressing to the vessels/containers in which fermentation will take place.






(g)


Maturation (Section E.7)




Maturation is the process during which the cider acquires the final analytical characteristics that characterise it, including physical and chemical, as well as organoleptic, characteristics i.e. flavour, aroma and appearance. For this reason, it was considered important to supplement the paragraph on the description of this stage with the following text: ‘until the characteristics that define the protected products have been achieved’.
In addition, references have been removed to specific checks for total acidity, volatile acidity and pH during maceration. These checks must be conducted on the final product, when the whole production process is taken into account, rather than just this specific stage in production.






(h)


Racking (Section E.8)




The main objective of racking is to remove sediment or impurities produced during fermentation, and to blend different ciders so that each brings its own characteristics to the blend. It is therefore a stage that depends on specific circumstances and, while frequently carried out, it is unnecessary in certain cases. It is therefore illogical to describe it as an obligatory practice for producing the protected products. For this reason, the description has been removed from the product specification.
The amendments in point 3.5 are purely technical in nature and for clarification of the techniques in the product specification that actually define the quality of the protected product. They do not involve changes in the production process, or in the product characteristics, or in the factors demonstrating the link with the geographical area. For this reason, it should be considered a standard amendment.






☑


This amendment affects the single document.





Title

Changes to terminology and applicable legislation

Description

Specific references to legislation have been removed.
Points amended in the product specification: Sections H and I.
Points amended in the single document: Point 3.6.
Reason:
The amendment makes it possible to avoid future updates to these sections, by including a general reference in Section I to legislation in force. In addition, the proposal to identify the logo of the European Union as a ‘Union symbol’ brings the terminology used in the product specification into line with the wording of the applicable legislation: Article 37 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143.






☑


This amendment affects the single document.




SINGLE DOCUMENT

Designations of origin and geographical indications of agricultural products



                     ‘Sidra de Asturias / Sidra d’Asturies’
                  


EU reference number: PDO-ES-0260-AM03 – 16.10.2025
                  

1.   Name(s)


               ‘Sidra de Asturias / Sidra d’Asturies’
            
2.   Geographical indication type







☑


PDO










☐


PGI










☐


GI




3.   Country to which the defined geographical area belongs

Spain
4.   Description of the agricultural product

4.1.   Classification of the agricultural product in accordance with the Combined Nomenclature heading and code, as referred to in Article 6(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143


                  2206  – Other fermented beverages (for example, cider, perry, mead, saké; mixtures of fermented beverages and mixtures of fermented beverages with non-alcoholic beverages, not elsewhere specified or included
4.2.   Description of the agricultural product to which the registered name applies

The products to be protected by the Protected Designation of Origin ‘Sidra de Asturias’ are:






—


Natural cider: the beverage obtained from the partial or full alcoholic fermentation of fresh apples or apple must, with no added sugar, produced using traditional methods, containing only carbon dioxide naturally produced by the cider-making process. Its minimum actual alcoholic strength must be 5 % by volume. The natural cider is characterised by a distinctive taste, striking a balance between acidity and bitterness and with a mild sensation of natural spritz. Its aroma is clean and fresh, with varietal or fruity notes and a slight sensation of acidity. In appearance, it presents different shades of shining yellow and straw colours.










—


Natural sparkling cider: a product resulting from the second fermentation of a natural cider, due to the natural sugars of that cider or to the addition of a tirage liqueur, and containing only carbon dioxide naturally produced by the cider-making process. Its minimum actual alcoholic strength must be 5,5 % by volume.




It is labelled according to its sugar content: ‘Brut Nature’ when the sugar content is less that 3 g/l without the addition of a dosage; ‘Extra Brut’ when it is below 6 g/l; ‘Brut’ when it is no more than 12 g/l; ‘Extra-seca’ (extra dry) over 12 g/l and no more than 20 g/l; ‘Seca’ (dry) over 20 g/l and no more than 30 g/l; ‘Semi-seca’ (semi-dry) over 30 g/l and no more than 50 g/l; and ‘Dulce’ (sweet) over 50 g/l and no more than 80 g/l.
The organoleptic characteristics of natural sparkling cider include a distinctive taste which may be ‘Brut Nature’, ‘Extra Brut’, ‘Brut’, ‘Extra-seco’, ‘Seco’, ‘Semi-seco’ or ‘Dulce’; persistence of beads, bubbles and delicate circles on the surface produced by the natural carbon dioxide; a clear and balanced aroma reminiscent of fresh or stewed apple; in appearance, a transparent and bright drink in different shades of yellow.
Prohibited practices:






1.


Musts






(a)


Any process that alters the natural sugar content of the pure apple musts.










(b)


Mixing natural musts with concentrated musts in any proportion.










(c)


Artificially aromatising the musts.










(d)


Pasteurising.










(e)


Adding water.














2.


Natural cider and natural sparkling cider






(a)


Artificially increasing the natural alcoholic strength.










(b)


Adding water at any stage of production.










(c)


Adding wine, fruit ferments and/or alcohol from any source.










(d)


Adding artificial sweeteners, colours and flavourings.










(e)


Pasteurising.










(f)


Adding carbon dioxide from other sources.










(g)


Adding concentrated apple must, except for tirage liqueur and dosage in the case of natural sparkling cider.










(h)


Adding sucrose, except for tirage liqueur, which may be added in the quantity strictly necessary for the second fermentation in the case of natural sparkling cider.










(i)


Using sugars of any origin in natural cider.








The natural cider has the following physical and chemical properties:
Volatile acidity: < 2,2 g/l of acetic acid. Alcoholic strength: > 5 % (v/v). Total sulphur dioxide: < 150 mg/l. Relative pressure in the bottle (20 °C): > 0,5 atm.
The natural sparkling cider has the following physical and chemical properties:
Volatile acidity: < 2,2 g/l of acetic acid. Alcoholic strength: > 5,5 % (v/v). Total sulphur dioxide: < 200 mg/l. Relative pressure in the bottle (20 °C): > 3 atm.
4.3.   Derogations on sourcing of feed (for products of animal origin designated by a Protected Designation of Origin only) and restrictions on sourcing of raw materials (for processed products designated by a Protected Geographical Indication only)

Both the natural cider and the natural sparkling cider are made from cider apple varieties traditionally grown in the production area.
On the basis of their acidity and concentration of phenolic compounds, the authorised varieties are classified into nine categories related to composition: sweet, sweet-bitter, bitter, semi-acidic, semi-acidic bitter, bitter semi-acidic, acidic, acidic-bitter and bitter-acidic.
Composition-based classification, Acidic Blanquina, Limón Montés, Teórica, San Roqueña, Raxao, Fuentes, Xuanina, Regona, Prieta, Collaos, Josefa, Carrandona, Raxila Ácida, Collaina, Raxina Marelo, Perurico Precoz, Perurico, Raxona Ácida, Raxina Ácida, Arbeya, Reineta Caravia, Durón Encarnado, Fresnosa, Peñarudes, Perracabiella, Reineta Encarnada, Repinaldo de Hueso, San Justo and Sucu.
Acidic-bitter: Beldredo, Picón, Madiedo, Martina and Montoto.
Bitter: Clara, Amariega and Cladurina.
Bitter-acidic: Meana, Lin, Cladurina Amargoácida and Rosadona.
Bitter semi-acidic: Durcolorá and Colorá Amarga.
Semi-acidic: Solarina, De la Riega, Carrió, Perico, Perezosa, Durona de Tresali, Panquerina, Raxila Rayada, Antonona, Chata Encarnada, Durón d’Arroes, Maria Elena, Mariñana, Miyeres, Repinaldo Caravia, Reineta Pinta and Celso.
Semi-acidic bitter: Montes de Llamera and Corchu.
Sweet: Ernestina, Verdialona, Raxila Dulce, Raxina Dulce, Raxona Dulce, Chata Blanca, Cristalina, Dura, Montés de Flor, Paraguas and Verdosa.
Sweet-bitter: Coloradona, Raxina Amarga and Raxarega.
4.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

The products protected by the PDO ‘Sidra de Asturias / Sidra d’Asturies’ (natural cider and natural sparkling cider) are made from cider apples of the varieties authorised in the product specification that have been grown on parcels of land registered with the Regulatory Board. The products must be made at premises located in the production area that are also registered with the Regulatory Board and have passed a number of tests examining their manufacturing and processing methods. These tests, which check the varieties used, growing techniques, raw materials, pressing, cider-making processes, bottling and labelling, are conducted in accordance with the Regulatory Board’s documented quality system procedure.
In the production of the ‘natural cider and natural sparkling cider’, it must be verified in particular that the only carbon dioxide produced occurs naturally as part of the process. This entire process is monitored following the instructions laid down in the Regulatory Board’s quality manual, which must include, as a minimum, the analysis technique to be used to detect carbon dioxide by identifying the stable light isotopes and the C13-C12 ratio, which allow its origin to be verified.
The certification process must include visual inspections, documentary inspections and product sampling. The certificated ciders can be labelled with the Regulatory Board’s logo and the words.

                  ‘Denominación de Origen Protegida Sidra de Asturias’ (Protected Designation of Origin Sidra de Asturias). The packaging bears a numbered label issued by the board.
The production method for the protected products must include, at minimum, the following stages: obtention of apple must by milling and pressing, fermentation, maturation and finally bottling.
For the ‘natural sparkling cider’, there is a second fermentation of the natural cider, or it may be carbonated using natural carbon dioxide released naturally during the cider-making process, in accordance with the conditions laid down in the product specification.
4.5.   Specific rules concerning packaging, slicing, grating etc. of the agricultural product the registered name refers to

The reason for including bottling within the designated area as part of the PDO ‘Sidra de Asturias’ cider-making process is to protect the reputation of the product by ensuring both the authenticity of the product and its quality and characteristics. Beneficiaries of this scheme assume full and collective responsibility for ensuring these aspects through the Regulatory Board set up for this purpose.
This ensures that the products obtained can be subject to inspection and traceability measures, preventing any possibility of them being mixed with products from elsewhere. This is because the inspections carried out in the production area (under the responsibility of the PDO beneficiaries) are thorough and systematic, underpinned by a comprehensive knowledge of the product characteristics.
Moreover, since the ciders contain carbon dioxide (only that which occurs naturally during the production process), suitable equipment needs to be in place alongside the bottling machinery. It would be inconvenient, and greatly complicate the inspection process, if the ciders were to be transported to other bottling plants, which risks ‘adulterating’ the process.
4.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the agricultural product the registered name refers to

To avoid misleading consumers, cider labels must comply with the relevant legislation with regard to mandatory and optional particulars. In addition, the protected name ‘Sidra de Asturias’ must appear on the labelling of the protected ciders accompanied by the words ‘Protected Designation of Origin’ or its abbreviation ‘PDO’.
As well as any information required under the applicable legislation, the PDO name (‘Sidra de Asturias’) must appear prominently on the labels of bottled ciders.
The consumer can clearly distinguish between the different product types by their presentation, as different types of bottle closure are used. Since the pressure in a bottle of natural sparkling cider is more than three atmospheres, it obviously needs a different kind of closure and a different type of glass container than those used for natural cider.
In any case, all protected ciders that meet the conditions laid down in the rules on using the name must be labelled with the words PDO ‘Sidra de Asturias’. Furthermore, under the general rules on the labelling and presentation of food products, the labels must also state whether the product is natural cider or natural sparkling cider.
All bottles containing cider protected by this PDO must be dispatched with a numbered control label issued by the Regulatory Board.
The terms relating to the sugar content in the natural sparkling cider must be identified as set out in Section 3.2 of this file.
The products covered must be identified with the logo of the European Union, in accordance with the legislation in force.
5.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias is the apple-growing and cider-making area for products with the Protected Designation of Origin ‘Sidra de Asturias’. Asturias is a geographical and historical region of northern Spain comprising 78 municipalities: Allande, Aller, Amieva, Avilés, Belmonte de Miranda, Bimenes, Boal, Cabrales, Cabranes, Candamo, Cangas de Narcea, Cangas de Onís, Caravia, Carreño, Caso, Castrillón, Castropol, Coaña, Colunga, Corvera, Cudillero, Degaña, El Franco, Gijón, Gozón, Grado, Grandas de Salime, Ibias, Illano, Illas, Langreo, Las Regueras, Laviana, Lena, Llanera, Llanes, Mieres, Morcín, Muros de Nalón, Nava, Navia, Noreña, Onís, Oviedo, Parres, Peñamellera Alta, Peñamellera Baja, Pesoz, Piloña, Ponga, Pravia, Proaza, Quirós, Ribadedeva, Ribadesella, Ribera de Arriba, Riosa, Salas, San Martín de Oscos, San Martín del Rey Aurelio, Santirso de Abres, Santa Eulalia de Oscos, Santo Adriano, Sariego, Siero, Sobrescobio, Somiedo, Soto del Barco, Tapia de Casariego, Taramundi, Teverga, Tineo, Valdés, Vegadeo, Villanueva de Oscos, Villaviciosa, Villayón, Yernes and Tameza.
Although the defined geographical area has a total area of 10 560 km2, Asturias is one of Europe’s most mountainous regions. This means that the farmland available for growing apples is severely limited, with cultivation restricted to small valleys and hillsides throughout the defined area (i.e. the 78 municipalities listed above).
Due to the terrain and growing conditions in Asturias, farms are, to a greater or lesser extent, scattered throughout the different municipalities, meaning that rural population centres are small and dispersed, as are the plots of land.
Cider apples are traditionally grown in Asturias using extensive farming and a mix of cider-apple orchards and natural grasslands. Because farms in Asturias tend to be very small, this combination of livestock farming and growing apples for cider-making had a considerable social and economic impact on Asturian country life: apple-growing generated extra income on family farms, providing an environmentally sustainable activity that retains population, thus helping, to some extent, to hold back the rural exodus.
Just as cider-apple orchards are spread out over the territory, cider-houses were traditionally small-scale facilities on farms that made cider to be drunk by the farming family. This practice has gradually been abandoned, and modern cider-houses are now concentrated in locations close to infrastructure and with more of the services needed for industrial activity to expand.
6.   Link with the geographical area


Summary of the link


Historical

Asturias is Spain’s leading cider-producing region, accounting for 80 % of national production. As can be seen from writings by the geographer Strabo dating back to 60 BC, the practices of growing cider apples and making cider are deeply ingrained in the region’s history.

Natural

Over the centuries, using trees grown from seeds (without the use of grafts), Asturian farmers have gradually selected the most productive varieties that are best suited to the local environment and that yield the best cider apples. The varieties’ different properties (sweet, sweet-bitter, bitter, semi-acidic, semi-acidic bitter, bitter semi-acidic, acidic, acidic-bitter and bitter acidic) and the resulting blends of these categories give Asturian ciders their unique semi-acidic characteristics.
The fact that the designation covers the two product types reflects Spanish quality rules (Ministerial Order of 1 September 1979), which differentiate between ‘sidra natural’ (natural cider) and ‘sidra’ (cider) on the basis that carbon dioxide not naturally produced during the cidermaking process, i.e. from any source, can be added to ‘cider’.
The two types of cider covered by the designation take ‘natural cider’ as their starting point. In the case of ‘natural sparkling cider’, it is permitted to add the carbon dioxide recovered during the fermentation process (i.e. naturally occurring gas only) and a small amount of sugar syrup. The raw material, production technology and industrial facilities are virtually the same, although ‘natural cider’ dates back much further historically, while cider with added carbon dioxide only started appearing in the 19th century as a result of research and developments in technology.
In Spain, the place-name ‘Asturias’ has historically been linked to cider-making and cider drinking, and the region now accounts for the bulk of domestic production.

Human factor

Cider is the Asturian food and agriculture sector’s third most important product in terms of turnover. The natural cider is produced at traditional cider-houses, and there are now 106 commercial-scale cider-houses in Asturias. Family tradition is particularly strong, with over 60 % of these cider-houses having been inherited by their owners. The majority are run as sole traderships, with corporations and limited liability companies accounting for only around 10 % of cider-houses. The Asturian market represents 93 % of total natural cider sales. Ten companies dominate natural sparkling cider production, together accounting for 61 % of the industry’s total turnover. Around 80 % of production is for the domestic market, while some 13 to 14 % is exported and the remaining 7 % is consumed within the region of Asturias itself.

Electronic (URL) reference to the publication of the product specification


https://run.gob.es/wzoSidraAsturN25



(1)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 of 30 October 2024 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council with rules concerning the registration and the protection of geographical indications, traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms and repealing Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (OJ L, 2025/27, 15.1.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/27/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/242/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)