“Three Golden Drops” for the acacia honey of the Periwinkle Beekeeping. The productions of Michela Soia and Nicola Boranga, whose business is based in Belluno in via Monte Grappa, were the protagonists of the 42nd “Tre Gocce d’Oro” competition, promoted by the National Honey Observatory in order to select the best Italian honeys .
In this edition, 540 beekeepers compared to 1466 honeys. 506 awarded: among these, three were created in the Periwinkle hives. The most coveted award, «similar to the three Michelin stars for a restaurant», explains Boranga, was awarded for an acacia honey produced in Volpago del Montello.
Only 17 producers throughout Italy can boast the “Three Golden Drops”: in Veneto, in addition to Belluno, the Veronese Luca Campagnari for his forest honeydew. Soy and Boranga, Apidolomiti partners, have also obtained two Golden Drops for another acacia honey made in Belluno, and one for one made from chestnut born in Miane. «Acacia honey is the most requested one», explains Nicola Boranga, a beekeeping technician registered in the regional register, who is a family collaborator in the company, while the owner is his wife Michela Soia.
«Its characteristics are appreciated by a large part of consumers, being a honey that remains liquid for a long time, with a low intensity of smell, a very sweet taste, a high sweetening power, excellent in terms of taste. We produced it on the hills of Montello, where there is a forest almost exclusively of acacias. Bringing the bees there at the right time, and this year with optimal climatic conditions, gives the possibility of having a single-flower honey ».
Two drops of gold received a second acacia honey, produced this time on site. “In the province of Belluno, I have never seen such a generous and abundant flowering”, notes Boranga.
«This has allowed us to produce pure acacia honey also in our municipality. The difference with the “Tre Gocce d’Oro”, in terms of points, was very slight. The features are similar; the only difference is in the visual aspect: that of Belluno tends to have a slightly more yellow shade of color, compared to the clarity of that of Montello ». Finally, a Goccia arrived for a chestnut honey made in Miane, even if “the next summer season was partly compromised by drought, so production was low, and with non-exceptional characteristics”.
The “Tre Gocce d’Oro” guide reports five other virtuous Belluno activities. Three prizes were won by De Candido Lorenzo Beekeeping in Santo Stefano di Cadore: two from “Due Gocce d’Oro”, one from one. A recognition also received by La Piccola Arnia di Santa Giustina (for two honeys), by Agostini Celestino of Colle Santa Lucia, by Bioapicoltura Nonna Giovannina di Calalzo and by the Organic Farm La Sloda di Val di Zoldo.
Finally, some news on the birth and development of the Periwinkle. “I started as a beekeeper about twenty years ago, at a hobby level,” says Boranga. «I passed on the passion to my wife, and for about ten years we have decided to open a VAT number. We have thus begun to produce and market honey. In the early days we had few hives, now we manage about forty. We focus above all on acacia, lime, chestnut and wildflower, trying as much as possible to produce in the Belluno area ».