Italian Flavors:
Val di Non apples
The product
The Val di Non Apple is only produced in a limited area situated to the north-east of the province of Trento and characterised by climatic and soil conditions that have always made it one the best suited areas for producing apples in the world.
It is also because of this that the tradition of apple cultivation in Val di Non has been documented for over 2000 years.
The fruit growers participating in the consortium for the protection of the Val di Non Apple must follow the DOP production guidelines approved by the European Commission.
The name ‘Mela Val di Non DOP’ is reserved exclusively for Golden delicious, Red delicious and Renetta del Canada varieties produced in Val di Non that fall into categories 1A and Extra and meet the required standards of crunchiness and levels of natural sugars and acids established by the production guidelines approved by the European Commission.
Val di Non DOP Apples are therefore not only healthy and beautiful to behold, they are also very good to eat.
The local area
Val di Non is one of the main valleys in Trentino and is situated in the north-west part of the province. It is formed of a large plateau crossed by the Noce river and is home to 38
towns.
Paradoxically, the Non Valley is not a valley, but rather a plateau. The largest valley in Trentino is actually characterised by a series of wavy amphitheatres, similar to concentric circles, that pass through the lower elevations with landscape marked by orchards, alpine vegetation, meadows and rocks.
This long, undulating plateau, shaped by the water courses that carved out deep gorges, is closed off at the north by the Maddalene mountain group, the Brenta Dolomites to the south-west, the eastern sub-group of the Anuani mountains to the east and the Paganella massif and the Andalo pass to the south.
These geographic coordinates go part way to explaining the richness of the valley agriculture, with its imposing fruit warehouses that serve as the modern equivalent of the castles of yore. Along with bell towers, both of these types of building can be found dotted along the landscape, which has been strongly influenced by human intervention.
By Consorzio Melinda with MiPAAF
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