Description
Mela di Valtellina PGI is a fresh apple deriving from the Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and Gala varieties.
Production Area
The production area of Mela di Valtellina PGI is with numerous municipal areas in the Province of Sondrio, located within the Valtellina valley, in the Lombardy region.
Production Method
The apple orchards are cultivated with integrated and biologic production techniques. The terrain is located between 200 and 900 m above sea level. The maximum density is 4,000 trees per hectare, with a space of at least 3 m between each row and a distance of at least 0,5 m between the trees. Green pruning is carried out in spring-summer and dry pruning in winter; the fruit may also be thinned. Fertilisation is localised and eco-compatible, and is carried out twice a year at the most. Irrigation depends on the correct water balance of the soil. Harvesting is carried out by hand at different times depending on the variety, between the second ten days of August and the end of October. After harvesting, the apples can be stored for 8-11 months, once again depending on the variety.
Appearance and Flavour
Mela di Valtellina PGI Red Delicious has a long truncated- conic shape and the peel is an intense bright red colour. The flesh is white in colour, crunchy, juicy, sweet and fragrant. The Golden Delicious variety has a spheroid or long truncated-conic shape, the peel is bright yellow in colour, at times with pinkish or rusty hues; the flesh is white-cream in colour, with a floury texture and sweet flavour. Finally, the Gala has a short truncated-conic shape; the peel has a bright red colour, whilst the flesh is white-cream, firm, sweet and juicy.
History
The apple tree has existed in Valtellina for many centuries. At the beginning it was cultivated in gardens for ornamental purposes and it was only from the 1920s that apple orchards played an important role in the economic fabric of the valley, becoming an appealing cultivation. The presence of apple trees, which had been natural and sporadic, was only systemized with the aim of selling after the Second World War, when the so-called “apple-system” was put in place: this was a specialised cultivation programme perfected by the farmers’ cooperatives and academics. The Valtellina apple reached its peak on the market in a short space of time, with its quality and good taste, firmly establishing itself as the best of its kind.
Gastronomy
Mela di Valtellina PGI should be kept in a cool, dry place, protected from heat sources or direct light. It is tasty when eaten as a fruit at the end of a meal or as a snack, but it is also protagonist of tasty sweet and savoury recipes. A traditional pasta dish that is worth tasting is “pennette alla milady”; a sauce made with Delicious apples, sultanas, cream, Worcestershire sauce and brandy, served with pennette pasta. As an alternative to the traditional apple strudel, there is the Washington cake, made of brisé pastry filled with Golden Delicious apples, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Marketing
The product is marketed as Mela di Valtellina PGI Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and Gala. It is sold in alveolar bins, plateau cardboard boxes, trays, wooden crates or reusable plastic cases, in sealed trays, cartons or bags with more fruits. It is available from the beginning of harvesting up until the summer of the following year and is sold in the Extra and First categories.
Distinctive Features
The Valtellina area extends in an east-westerly direction, which is unique for the mountain areas dedicated to fruit growing. Its mild climate is conditioned by the Föhen, a warm and dry wind that causes an increase in temperature and slows down the humidity. It is here that Mela di Valtellina PGI found ideal growing conditions.
