1.772 honeys, 616 beekeepers from every region of Italy, the highest number ever: the 46th edition of Tre Gocce d'Oro – Grandi Mieli d'Italia (Three Golden Drops – Great Italian Honeys), the competition promoted by the National Honey Observatory, showcases the extraordinary diversity of Italian beekeeping with 63 different types of honey competing, including 61 monofloral and two multifloral varieties. The highest recognition, the Tre Gocce d'Oro, was awarded during a ceremony held in Castel San Pietro Terme to 23 honeys; 245 earned the Two Golden Drops and 346 one Golden Drop.
Among the most represented types in the 2026 edition, acacia confirmed its first place among monofloral honeys with 244 samples in competition, while chestnut reached 138.
The figure for wildflower oils is particularly significant, with 615 samples, equal to 35% of the total: a number that demonstrates, on the one hand, the growing attention of producers towards this category, and, on the other, the impact of increasingly unpredictable production seasons on the availability of some pure varieties.
By origin of the samples, the most represented regions were Lombardy with 187 honeys, Piedmont with 167 and Abruzzo with 152. Considering the number of participating beekeepers, Lombardy led with 72 producers, Piedmont with 69 and Veneto with 63.
The 23 honeys awarded the Three Golden Drops 2026
Clover Honey – Az. Agr. Masciulli Giuseppe “Miele dei Trulli”, Nico Masciulli – Gioia del Colle (Bari), Puglia.
Shrub Thyme Honey (Thymbra capitata) – Monello, Ester Gallian – Avola (Syracuse), Sicily.
Lime Honey – Schiara Honey, Alessandro Zanon – Belluno, Veneto.
Dandelion Honey – Giagheddu Nadir – Roana (Vicenza), Veneto.
Sulla Honey – Agricola La Marchesa, Fabrizio Mandrillo – Sant'Arcangelo (Potenza), Basilicata.
Rhododendron Honey – Apicoltura Daniele, Valerica Neagu – Piedicavallo (Biella), Piedmont.
High Mountain Wildflower Honey from the Alps – Ronchello Farm, Andrea Fabio Risi – Montecampione, Esine (Brescia), Lombardy.
Wildflower Honey – L'Oro del Daino Agricultural Company by Delbianco Mirko ss, Cristina Vanni – Montegridolfo (Rimini), Emilia-Romagna.
Fir Honeydew Honey – Roberto Inama – Sfruz (Trento), Trentino-Alto Adige.
Honeydew Honey (forest) – Az. Agr. Tambasco Sabina, Sabina Tambasco – Montano Antilia (Salerno), Campania.
Sainfoin Honey – Passione Ape Beekeeping, Irene Maria Pili – Pizzoferrato (Chieti), Abruzzo.
Bastard Indigo Honey (Amorpha fruticosa) – Cristofori Mauro, Davide Cristofori Beekeeping – Larciano (Pistoia), Tuscany.
Sunflower Honey – Pancaldi Beekeeping, Lara Pancaldi – Jesi (Ancona), Marche.
Eucalyptus Honey – Isca e Muras Beekeeping, Marinella Concu – Uras (Oristano), Sardinia.
Ivy Honey – La BeeO Baita Farm, Alice Fietta – Dicomano (Florence), Tuscany.
Coriander Honey – Flavio Maggiolino Beekeeping, Flavio Maggiolino – Chieuti (Foggia), Puglia.
Strawberry Tree Honey – Arbarèe Farm, Daniele Cossu – Ruinas (Oristano), Sardinia.
Chestnut Honey – Soc. Agr. Nipoti Fontana SS, Filippo Fontana – Massino Visconti (Novara), Piedmont.
Thistle Honey – Apiflora, Gabriele Favrin – Tratalias, Sardinia.
Asphodel Honey – Badde Lontana Beekeeping Company, Costantina Giovanna Tanda – Osilo (Sassari), Sardinia.
Acacia (Robinia) Honey – Lissi Salussoglia Beekeeping Graziella, Alessandro Zerbola – Cerrione (Biella), Piedmont.
Citrus Honey – The Bee and the Hive, Giulio Iacovanelli – Massafra (Taranto), Puglia.
Ailanthus Honey – Beekeeping by Emilio Iacovanelli and Luigi D'Amario – Casoli (Chieti), Abruzzo.
