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Product Description
It is a medium-large lemon (each fruit weighing no less than 85 grams), elliptical in shape, with particularly succulent straw-yellow flesh. Its juice is characterized by high acidity and rich in vitamin C and minerals. The rind, a beautiful citrus yellow, is medium thick and intensely fragrant due to its rich essential oils.
These unique quality characteristics make the "Sorrento Lemon" PGI a product of excellence in its category, both for the fresh lemon market and for the production of the famous "limoncello," an infusion of lemon peels steeped in pure alcohol, which has achieved international recognition in this area of origin.
The quality characteristics of the "Sorrento Lemon" PGI are enhanced by its unique production techniques, still rooted in the cultivation of the plants under the famous "pagliarelle," straw mats supported by wooden poles, usually chestnut, that cover the treetops. This protects them from the cold and wind, and also delays the ripening of the fruit, which is one of the key characteristics of this production.
In the kitchen, the "Sorrento Lemon" PGI is consumed in a wide variety of ways: plain, to make freshly squeezed juices, or to flavor desserts, jams, and beverages. In restaurants and hotels in the production area, which also includes Capri, top chefs have created signature recipes in which the Sorrento lemon is a constant feature in every dish, from appetizers to desserts to coffee. It's a must-have ingredient in all seafood first courses, and obviously alongside fish, which is the main gastronomic attraction for tourists in this area. Some lemon-based desserts, such as "babà al limoncello," "delizie al limone," and "sorbetto al limone," have also been hugely popular among visitors to the Sorrento peninsula.
Historical Notes
Of ancient origins, while the presence of lemons in the Sorrento area is certified by historical documents dating back to the 1500s, the "Sorrento Lemon" PGI actually has genetic ancestors dating back to Roman times. Numerous paintings and mosaics discovered in the excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum depict lemons very similar to the current "massesi" and "ovale sorrentini" lemons, testifying to the use of these fragrant fruits on the tables of our Roman ancestors.
But the most important documentation of the presence of lemons in the area dates back to the Renaissance. Sales deeds, paintings, literary and botanical treatises tell us of the use of locally produced lemons for a wide variety of purposes, although we have to wait until the 17th century for certainty of specialized cultivation, as evidenced by the records of the local Jesuit Fathers. Even today, one of the first cultivated plots, named "Il Gesù," exists, located in the Guarazzanno basin between Sorrento and Massalubrense. This evidence supports the theory that these two towns on the Sorrento Peninsula are the origins of the names of the varieties from which the product is made: "Ovale di Sorrento" and "Massese."
Mentioned in the works of Torquato Tasso, a native of Sorrento, Giovanni Pontano, and Giambattista della Porta, the "Sorrento Lemon" existed until the 19th century, when the historian Bonaventura da Sorrento recorded its shipments around the world, especially on ships bound for America.
It is, however, thanks to the tenacity and skill of local producers, which have developed over the centuries, that today we enjoy a highly selected and top-quality product. It is above all thanks to their commitment that the landscape itself has come to conform to their needs: the famous terraces and the legendary "roofs" of the lemon groves, here rightly called "lemon gardens", strongly characterize the Sorrento peninsula and contribute to its fame throughout the world.
Production Area
The "Limone di Sorrento" PGI is grown in all the municipalities of the Sorrento Peninsula: Massa Lubrense, Meta, Piano di Sorrento, Sant'Agnello, Sorrento, Vico Equense, as well as on the island of Capri, with the two municipalities of Capri and Anacapri.
Economic and Production Data
The Sorrento lemon is cultivated in the production area, covering approximately 400 hectares, representing approximately 60% of the province's total; average annual production is approximately 8,000 tons, equal to two-thirds of the entire Neapolitan province's production. The "Sorrento Lemon" PGI is available practically year-round on both local and international markets, but it is especially the summer production, achieved by forcing the trees under the famous "pagliarelle" (shelters), that makes this fruit unique and valuable. This lemon shares several characteristics with its "brother" from the Amalfi Coast: its seasonality, due to its late production; its cultivation on terraces; and its commercial success, due to sustained demand and thus consistently above-average prices throughout the entire sales season, sometimes even double the value of common lemons. Sorrento lemon growing has forged an inextricable bond with the production environment, providing numerous benefits: it contributes to soil conservation from hydrogeological instability, is a key component of the coastal landscape, and thus also influences tourism. Regarding the certification system, in 2004, two agricultural enterprises were registered (one of which is Solagri, the largest cooperative in the area with 262 members registered in the system) for a total registered lemon grove area of 169 hectares (42% of the entire Sorrento peninsula's lemon-growing area). Certified production of "Limone di Sorrento" PGI was 1,843 tons of fresh lemons in 2004. Among the processed products, besides the jams, for which the first batches were certified last year, the most famous product made with the PGI "Sorrento Lemon" is undoubtedly "limoncello," the famous local elixir that has fueled a significant economic boom for the entire region. Production certified by Ismecert for 2004 amounted to a staggering 3,225,000 bottles, equivalent to 2,106,000 liters.
Registration and Protection
The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) "Limone di Sorrento" was recognized, pursuant to EC Regulation No. 2081/92, by Regulation (EC) No. 2446/2000 (published in the Official Journal of the European Union No. L 281 of November 7, 2000).
National recognition was granted by Ministerial Decree of July 20, 1999, published in the Official Journal of the Italian Republic No. 177 of July 30, 1999, together with the attached Production Specifications.
The Consortium for the Protection of Limone di Sorrento PGI has submitted a request to amend the production specifications, including the correction of the logo (which, by mistake, read "Limoni di Sorrento" instead of "Limone di Sorrento") and the elimination of references to procedures that are incompatible with current EU regulations. This request has already been assessed by the competent Ministry, which published the proposed new specifications in Official Journal No. 81 of April 6, 2007.
With a Decree of November 18, 2009 (published in Official Journal No. 278 of November 28, 2009), the Ministry of Agriculture (MiPAF) granted transitional national protection to further amendments to the Production Specifications requested by the Protection Consortium regarding the production regulations. These amendment requests, supported by the European Commission, were published in Official Journal C105 of April 24, 2010, and definitively approved by EC Regulation No. 14 of January 10, 2011 (published in Official Journal L6/1 of January 11, 2011). The changes concern the method of obtaining the product (the description of the scaffolding under which the Sorrento Lemon trees are grown: while maintaining the preference for chestnut wood poles, the use of poles made of other types of wood and/or metal alloys has also been envisaged; the start date of the lemon harvest – January 1st instead of February 1st – in consideration of the climate changes that have occurred in recent years that have led to a change in the ripening times of the product; the maximum lemon production per hectare, increasing it from 35 to 45 tons; the lemon juice yield, reducing it from 30 to 25%); the link (the inclusion of some elements attesting to the ancient presence of the Sorrento Lemon on the Sorrento peninsula and the importance that its cultivation has had for the local populations; the elimination of references relating to the type of wood of the poles to be used for the construction of the pergola); and labelling (the possibility of selling the Sorrento Lemon in bulk).
Inspection Body
The authorized certification body is Agroqualità - website: www.agroqualita.it.
Protection Consortium
The "Consortium for the Protection of Sorrento Lemon PGI" was recognized by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (MIPAF) with Ministerial Decree No. 63479 of June 30, 2003, pursuant to Article 14 of Law 526/99 for the protection, supervision, and promotion of the product. The Consortium is a member of the Italian Association of Geographical Indication Consortia (AICIG) www.aicig.it. Registered office and operational headquarters: Corso Italia - 80067 Sorrento (NA) - Tel: 081.3501669 Fax: 081.8788004. Website:
Text from the Campania Region website
https://agricoltura.regione.campania.it/Tipici/limone-sorrento.html
