Absolute record of participation in the Tre Gocce d'Oro – Grandi Mieli d'Italia Competition which every year rewards the best Italian honeys divided into categories in San Pietro Terme. This year, 1466 honeys participated in the competition, sent to the National Honey Observatory by 540 beekeepers from all over Italy.
Analytical and sensorial evaluations therefore have selected 506 honeys that became part of the Guide. Of these, 17 were awarded with the Tre Gocce d'Oro, the highest quality recognition, 201 with Two Gocce d'Oro and 288 with One Goccia d'Oro.
1466 honeys from 540 beekeepers from all over Italy were judged
The honeys that participated in the competition were analyzed by two different laboratories and subjected to sensory analysis by 100 experts registered in the national register. The result was a snapshot of the Italian production situation with valuable indications for consumers but also for producers.
The honeys participating in the competition are in fact evaluated and analyzed (organoleptic, physical-chemical, melissopalynological analyses) and the results of the evaluation are communicated to the participants so that they can improve the quality of the honeys produced in the future. Among the Italian regions represented: those with the highest number of samples were Piedmont (161), followed by Lombardy (143), Sardinia (133), Emilia Romagna (117) and Puglia (106). Samples involving 56 unifloral honeys and 2 types of wildflower honey (thousand flower honey and high mountain wildflower honey from the Alps).
It should be noted that, after the drastic reduction in the production of acacia honey which occurred in 2021, this year acacia returns to being the first unifloral honey in terms of number of honeys participating in the Competition with 177 champions registered. The participation of Sulla honey (69 samples) and Eucalyptus honey (61 samples) was also greater than in other years.
Piedmont is the region with the highest number of samples followed by Lombardy and Sardinia
Like every year, Osservatorio Nazionale Miele has published the guide, in paper, online and on the app, in order to be able to offer consumers a tool to orient themselves in the world of production, an increasingly pressing need. Thanks to the guide, it is possible to track down the best honeys produced in Italy, complete with georeferencing on the app, to reach the beekeeper in real time where you can purchase the desired honey.
The three golden drops of Italian honey
Acacia honey: Periwinkle beekeeping by Michela Soia – Belluno BL
Citrus honey: Giuseppe Masciulli's Miele dei trulli agricultural company Martina Franca – Taranto
Asphodel honey: Ogliastra honey by Giovanni Arzu – Lotzorai – Nuoro
Chestnut honey: Gold company from the fields of Filomeno Rocco – Grottole – Matera
Coriander honey: Piero Iacovanelli's beekeeping company – Tornareccio – Chieti
Eucalyptus honey: Monte Tamara beekeeping company by Luca Lai Nuxis – Carbonia Iglesias
Sunflower honey: Pancaldi beekeeping by Lara Pancaldi – Budrio – Bologna
Wild lavender honey: Mustat Tsu Maria Lucia company – Alà dei sardi – Sassari
Forest honeydew honey: Campagnari beekeeping by Luca Campagnari Castelnuovo del Garda – Verona
Fir honeydew honey: Roberto Inama from Predaia – Trento
Wildflower honey: Piero Maccioni's farm – Larciano – Pistoia
High mountain wildflower honey from the Alps: Zipoli Agriculture by Ancilla Ballarini Romanengo – Cremona
Rhododendron honey: Foliage Agrinova farm by Paulin Takam Takumbo – Camerano Casasco – Asti
Sulla honey: Giuseppe La Mantia agricultural company – Palermo
Dandelion honey: Mieli Thun by Francesca Paternoster – Ton – Trento
Shrub thyme honey: Adele Leone's farm – Noto Siracusa
Clover honey: Marzullo Angelo – Aquilonia Avellino
