Maley conquers the 2026 International Cider Challenge

Maley’s Cidre du Saint Bernard won the Trophy Award at the 2026 International Cider Challenge (ICC), the most prestigious title reserved exclusively for the “best of the best” ciders in the competition.

“Cider is a beverage that was waiting to be understood,” comments Gianluca Telloli, Head of Research and Selection at Proposta Vini. “Today, the trend is on the rise—small numbers but growing—with the potential to increase volumes limited by the fact that it cannot be produced with just any type of apple, but only with specific varieties, of which there is limited availability. Despite this, it is undeniable that cider is gaining market share, particularly among younger consumers: a fresh, elegant product with a moderate alcohol content that symbolizes the most authentic form of mountain agriculture. The ICC is a very important competition, where every product is judged on a global scale: for this reason, receiving the Trophy Award for Maley is an incentive to continue on the path we have taken, with passion and dedication."

Jorasses, the pear cider from Maley, also made it to the podium, winning the prestigious Silver Medal.

These two awards bring international attention to a project launched with the goal of reviving cider production in Italy while, at the same time, preserving a heritage of ancient apple and pear varieties and historic orchards that still survive in the Alps, between the Aosta Valley and Savoy.

The International Cider Challenge

Now in its 16th edition in 2026, the International Cider Challenge is an international competition dedicated to cider that brings together products from various countries with different production traditions.

The winners are determined through a blind tasting conducted by an independent jury composed of over 30 industry professionals, including producers, sensory analysis experts, trade journalists, retailers, and buyers.

The ciders are evaluated based on aroma, taste, appearance, and overall quality. At the end of the tastings, Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals are awarded, along with Trophies for the best entries in the competition.

This international competition saw Maley stand out in 2026 with two major awards.

Trophy Award for Cidre du Saint Bernard

A signature product of the Maley project, Cidre du Saint Bernard is made from ancient apple varieties from the Aosta Valley and Savoy, harvested from trees—some of which are over a century old—and processed using the Ancestral Method.

Golden yellow in color, it offers notes of Flamboyante apples on the nose, while on the palate, the freshness of the Renetta apple meets the delicate tannic nuances of the Croison de Boussy apple.

A sweet, fresh cider with a distinct Alpine character, it won the Trophy—the competition’s highest honor—at the 2026 International Cider Challenge.

Silver Medal for Jorasses, the pear cider from Maley

The Silver Medal, on the other hand, goes to Poiré Jorasses Classicum, a cider made from heirloom pear varieties native to the Rhône-Alpes region and the Aosta Valley—the result of Maley’s efforts to revive historic mountain pear trees.

With a delicate effervescence, it has a straw-yellow color with golden hues. The nose reveals pear, accompanied by light notes of pastry cream; the palate is rich and smooth, with hints of candied fruit and excellent drinkability.

Maley, the high-altitude cider from the Aosta Valley and Savoy

Behind the awards won at the International Cider Challenge lies a project that originated in the mountains and stems from a desire to revive a tradition that was in danger of disappearing.

Maley was the ancient name for Malus, the apple, but it also refers to “lo greu maley,” a large orchard that has stood since the Middle Ages in the Aosta Valley town of Torgnon, facing the Matterhorn. From this connection to the region, the project conceived by Gianluca Telloli took shape, with the goal of reviving cider production in Italy, approaching it with the same dedication and attention to detail reserved for large-scale winemaking.

Heirloom Apples and Biodiversity

At the heart of the project is the revival of ancient and rare apple varieties such as Raventze, Barbelune, Roszetta, Calville, Pomma Verte, Croison de Boussy, and Groin de Veau, along with the pear varieties Critchen d’Hiveur and Maude.

The fruit comes from historic orchards that can reach and exceed 1,500 meters in elevation, with trees that are, in some cases, over a century old. Maley safeguards this botanical and genetic heritage by seeking out new monumental trees and propagating the rarest clones on rootstock.

The altitude and alpine climate also help define the characteristics of the apples, which are naturally rich in acidity and tannins—essential elements for producing ciders that combine freshness, depth, and a long finish.

This philosophy begins with the raw material, and Gianluca Telloli sums it up as follows: “With cider, it works exactly like wine: the quality of the apple, just like the quality of the grape, determines the final result. Maley makes no compromises, and in the glass you can truly taste the difference of a product that combines ease of drinking with depth and a long finish.”

The Trophy awarded to Cidre du Saint Bernard and the Silver Medal awarded to Poiré Jorasses Classicum thus bring to the international stage a project that has chosen to draw on biodiversity, heirloom fruit varieties, and the Alpine landscape to help build a new Italian cider culture.