By Martin Banks

The European Commission has approved the addition of ‘Olive taggiasche liguri’ and ‘Carne Salada del Trentino’ from Italy to the register of Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and ‘Tharsys’ from Spain as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).

‘Olive taggiasche liguri’ are table olives and olive paste made from olives of the ‘taggiasca’ variety.

The taggiasca olive is named after the town Taggia where Benedectine monks planted its first trees in the tenth century.

The plant is characterised by great fertility and strong growth, though also by susceptibility to frost and extreme temperatures.

 It acclimatised itself to Liguria, a region shaped like an arc, a narrow strip of land between the sea and a mountain ridge that shelters it from winds and cold.

‘Carne Salada del Trentino’ denotes a cured meat product made from beef cattle characterised by leanness, the taste of mature meat and a slightly spice aroma.

The meat is produced and packaged in the entire administrative territory of the Autonomous Province of Trento, with the exception of some municipalities.

The traditional processing and conservation practice used for Carne Salada del Trentino has survived in Trentino since ancient Rome, while having been almost completely abandoned elsewhere.

Thirdly, ‘Tharsys’ is a red, white and rosé wine from the urban area of Requena in Spain, a region that has been adorned with vineyards and an underground winery since the 16^th and 19^th century respectively.

The wines each have different aromas depending on their age and colour – ranging from intense blue-flower notes for young reds, to the toasted-spices and smoky aromas of barrel-aged rosés.

This new designation joins the more than 3,680 protected names already listed in the eAmbrosia database.