South African Savanna Dry Premium Cider
I like to think that I discovered Savanna Dry ciders during my time in Botswana, because it would be nice to connect this discovery with my other two discoveries there (the other two being pinotage and Nina). But that is not true. I actually first got exposed to it in 2005, when my ex brought some from a three month stint during her legal training in Stellenbosch…but I digress.
After my return from Botswana, I began looking for sources for it in Germany, and I was lucky. There was a guy who selling it (Germans, you can find his website here)! I admit, it is not cheap, but there hardly is anything like it to get that Southern Africa feeling back into my daily life. So, while Nina and I were living in Germany, we would usually have a box in our house, rationing ourselves in order not to overspend. But for our wedding celebration, we actually bought a couple of boxes to serve while people arrived at the venue…in the spirit of our relationship’s roots.
Here in the US, I have not seen it in stores, and online sellers here seem to be happy to completely overcharge their customers on shipping, so I give that a pass (the insanely high shipping and handling prices here will have to wait for a rant in a seperate post). So, when a friend of mine came to visit us from London this spring and asked what he could bring, I told him Savanna Dry. And he did bring two bottles, big bottles even (500 ml instead of the usual 330 ml)! We had one in the summer, and it was time to have this one the other night…leave aside all the emotional connections with it for me personally, and the first thing you notice is the awesome branding. I LOVE the label and the fact that they bottle it in clear glass, so the cider gives the label its appropriate background.
Savanna Dry is, as the name indicates, a dry cider (the company’s slogan is: “It’s dry but you can drink it.”). The color reminds me of the soft, warm sunlight of an afternoon in southern Africa. Its bubbles are never offensive, and it has this strong and great taste of yellow apples with a bit of tartness, sometimes it even reminds me of biting a bit too deep into the apple and getting the coarser inner bits that surround the kernels, which in this case is not offensive. The company website says it is made from apples in Elgin region in Western Cape province of South Africa. At 5.5% ABV it is just right for warm summer nights, but also when it gets colder. I like to throw in a slice of lemon for just the right punch of acidity and, I swear, I feel like I am back in Bots … where life is so much more pleasantly slow.
If you get a chance to try it, please do so! You can check out their website here.
Savanna Dry cork
the winegetter 
I will pay for shipping if I could find somewhere that will ship in the U.S I just cant find a website that will ship for there, everywhere I’ve looked is only in Australia and Europe. Does anyone know of websites for the U.S
Same here. I haven’t looked in a while, but if I find some, I will post it here!
I admit, I can sign this article :) Indeed, it’s possible to find this cider in Germany, but it costs like 2-2,5 Euro (in Berlin).
Try the website I mentioned. Sometimes he has offers that include shipping, like twice a year or so. Maybe you can get on the mailing list…then the cost came down to 1.80 or 1.60, I think…
Thanks! I’ll try it once I’m back from Serbia.
[…] in designing the graphic) . As some of you know, I do like a good cider (see, e.g. here, here and here). So I was intrigued and checked out the link to the website. And I have to say, I am […]
[…] visited her in Philly in 2008 as we were reminiscing drinking Savanna Dry (I wrote about that cider here). Ever since, I have been drinking Woodchuck on an off, usually at […]
Wat can I say to be the best you got to drink the best savanna dry its dry bt you can drink it….
So true! Thanks for stopping by.
Sounds delicious! I too, hate the high price of shipping wine. It is absolutely ridiculous!
Aaah, good. Glad you’re joining my pre-rant! :)
Is there any place you haven’t been? Do you have a favorite place? (I’m not as well-traveled as you, but I’ve been here and there. I can never pick a favorite place. It’s usually wherever I happen to be).
I’m waiting for the shipping rant. I’m partial toward rants. (Shipping, I understand, it is what it is… But “handling?” I hate deception, and “handling” is a deceptive way to fudge the price so it appears lower than what you’re actually being charged.)
It occurs to me–I just ranted
I can’t really say I have a favorite place. There were definitely highlights: Seeing Victoria Falls when they are in full glory, Seoul was definitely an amazing (and crazy place), the magic of Tshodilo Hills (southern Africa’s only World Cultural Heritage site), at the bottom of Mount Kilimanjaro…cities like London and Rome, regions like Burgundy and the Mosel valley…I can’t say what the favorite place is…
Thanks for your rant! Wait till you see mine…:D
Victoria Falls! Lucky you.
Many a nights in the Namibian wilderness drinking a good ole Savanna :)
Aaaah, memories…:)
I don’t normally like/drink ciders, but with Savanna Dry I make an exeption! That is something different. I have been drinking that only in South Africa, but unfortunately can not get it here in Finland. :(
Now you can imagine how happy I was when I found this cider back in Germany!! Sorry you cannot get it in Finland…
Fabulous friends bring the biggest bottles of wine! This sounds delicious.
That is so true! :)