WATA Cider wins three international awards during the Sagardoaren Lurraldea International Cider competition in Spain and puts Lebanon for the first time on the map of best cider producers in the world. WATA Cider participated in November 2021, in the Sagardoaren Lurraldea International Cider competition in Spain. More than 70 ciders from around the world participated in the competition which was judged by an international committee of renowned cider tasters from USA, Great Britain, Germany, France and Italy and attended by international sommeliers, wine and beer journalists and bloggers from all around the country. Judges included reference experts like: Tom Oliver, Rayan Burke, Santiago Rivas, Yann Giles and many more. WATA Cider, in its first international; participation was awarded a Gold Medal for its Brut 2020, a Silver Medal for its Dry blend and a Bronze medal for its Original Blend. For the first time in its history, Lebanon has been recognized as a Cider producer amongst the best in the world, and adds its three first medals to its portfolio. It is in Wata el Jawz that Soha Frem Karam, having spent her childhood in her grandparent’s apple orchards, decides to launch the production of fine modern ciders made from premium handpicked Lebanese apples. The creation of WATA Cider was driven by the young entrepreneur’s determination to find a solution to an apple crisis that was threatening to transform our eco-system and endanger the livelihood of many. Today WATA is at the forefront of cider culture in Lebanon. In only two years, and despite the socio-economic crisis the country has been drowning in, WATA Cider quadrupled its volumes. Today WATA produces four different blends that satisfies an array of palettes. In a country where the culture of cider was quasi-nonexistent, WATA was able to find its place on restaurant menus, cocktail bars, retail shelves and Lebanese consumer’s habit. The WATA orchard has been growing premium dessert apples since 1960 at an altitude of 1400m, in an ideal microclimate: bright autumn days, white winters, soft springs and warm summers, with 300 days of sunshine. WATA adheres to sustainable farming practices in its orchards, to protect the environment and maintain the highest level of quality in the fruit. WATA undertakes to continue creating the finest ciders to to be enjoyed on the Lebanese as well as foreign markets. Cidermaker notes on the winning blends: WATA Original (Bronze medal) : Bright clear and blond in color. The aroma of WATA Original is fruitforward with fresh ripe apples notes and hints of spices. The mouthfeel is smooth, with a refreshing effervescent mousse. This is a light-bodied cider with a perfect balance between bright acidity and a sweet finish. WATA Dry (Silver medal) : Bright, clear and blond in color. The aroma of WATA Dry is that of fresh tropical fruits. The Mouthfeel is clean, with elegant citrusy notes and fine tannins that provide a crisp finish. WATA Brut 2020 (Gold medal): Bright, clear and golden in color, filled with delicate, tiny bubbles, WATA Brut is a robust cider on the palate and finishes with great length. The mouthfeel is complex, preforming a symphony of peaches, roses and green apples.