The unexpected Made in Italy: Limoncello from Garda

Limoncello is an example of a product which can be de-regionalized from both, a national and international point of view, which is part of protected products. This situation has partly been helped by the fact that historically the liqueur made from lemon peels was produced mostly in the South of the country. It was in fact the Arabs in Sicily that introduced the production of lemons that was then taken to the Amalfi coast.limoncello torboli stefano

  • Forerunner to the international reputation was the typical area of ​​production of Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast; the making of large volumes has instead been led by the alcohol industry, facilitated by the absence of restrictions on the use of the generic name on the label limoncello. Thus, together with the Sorrento IGP and the generic one, we also find the limoncino from Elba and the limoncino from Garda, places where lemons grow.
    “A geographic variation -explains Carlo Torboli, one of the owners of C & C Torboli Tenno (Tn) company that produces Limoncino del Garda- important to satisfy the desire of tourists to immerse themselves in the history and in the typical Italian aspects while visiting Italy. We only work on the domestic market, but 95% of our customers are foreign tourists. We distribute our product in stores that specialize in local products, in Liguria, on the Adriatic coast and in the major art cities (Venice, Florence, Rome) and at service points on the motorway. In addition to the Limoncino del Garda we have a line of limoncello (range that goes from the superior without preservative to the cream version) because tourists know and look for the limoncello. The Italian origin of the product is the factor of attractiveness, the geographical variation for a foreigner does not add value to the product. There should be a single certification of the made in Italy and that should be communicated as a sign of recognition and distinctiveness”.

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