🥃 Genepì del Piemonte
Herbal liqueur made from five species of high-altitude wormwood (genepì) from Piedmont: EU PGI, at least 30% ABV, at least 100 g/l sugar, no colourings.
Genepì del Piemonte is an EU protected geographical indication for herbal liqueur made from high-altitude wormwood, known in the Alps as genepì. The plants are picked or grown in mountain communities of six provinces of Piedmont, and the liqueur itself is made in the region. Strength is at least 30% ABV, sugar at least 100 grams per litre, and colourings are banned.
Protected name. The name was listed in Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 among liqueurs and is now governed by Regulation (EU) 2019/787, where liqueurs fall under category 33. The technical file was amended in 2016, control was entrusted to the Italian Customs Agency, and the first certified products appeared in 2018. According to the region, the producers' association, founded in 2002, makes about 30,000 certified bottles a year.
Plants and production. Five wormwood species are allowed: Artemisia genipi, A. mutellina, A. glacialis, A. nivalis and A. petrosa. Only A. mutellina may be cultivated, above 1,500 m, and in exceptional cases from 1,400 m. Dried plants are infused for 30 to 60 days in a water-alcohol solution of 70 to 90% ABV, with at least 7 g of plant per litre of finished liqueur. Another method is suspending the plants above alcohol for about 90 days; the liqueur is then colourless.
History. According to the technical file, in the second half of the 18th century the notary Stefano Pin brought distillation to the Occitan valleys of Piedmont. In 1823 his son founded the first genepì distillery in Fenestrelle and recorded the recipe. From the 1960s the plant began to be cultivated, because wild stocks were no longer enough. The liqueur ranges in colour from greenish to amber.
Why this matters to you. The name Genepì del Piemonte guarantees Piedmontese raw material and no colourings, but this is a sweet, strong liqueur: at least 30% ABV and 100 grams of sugar per litre. Its long folk use as a remedy does not make the liqueur healthy. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe amount of alcohol.
Facts
| EU category | liqueur (category 33 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787); geographical indication |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Regulation (EU) 2019/787; PGI technical file, Ares(2016)4409688 |
| Raw material | Artemisia genipi, A. mutellina, A. glacialis, A. nivalis, A. petrosa; from 7 g of dried plant per litre |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | from 30% ABV; sugar from 100 g/l |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Genepì del Piemonte → kind of → 🍸 Liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Maceration
- What it contains
- 🍬 Sugar
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🍸 Liqueurs
- Related to
- 📍 Piedmont
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Absinthe, 🥃 Bayerischer Kräuterlikör, 🥃 Grappa piemontese
Frequently asked questions
Is the green colour of genepì from a dye?
No. Colourings are banned for Genepì del Piemonte. The colour, from greenish to amber, comes from the plants during infusion, and a liqueur made by suspending the plants above alcohol is colourless.
Which plants are used for Genepì del Piemonte?
Five species of high-altitude wormwood: Artemisia genipi, A. mutellina, A. glacialis, A. nivalis and A. petrosa. Only A. mutellina may be cultivated.
What is the strength of Genepì del Piemonte?
At least 30% ABV, with at least 100 grams of sugar per litre, calculated as invert sugar.
How much plant goes into the liqueur?
At least 7 g of dried plant per litre of finished liqueur. Infusion lasts 30 to 60 days, less in dynamic extractors.
How does Genepì del Piemonte differ from Génépi des Alpes?
Genepì del Piemonte uses only Piedmontese raw material and production. Génépi des Alpes is a separate Franco-Italian designation that covers several Alpine regions.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Maceration — Steeping the juice with the skins to extract colour, tannins and aroma.
- 🥃 Absinthe — Spirit drink with wormwood and anise; the EU limits thujone to 35 mg/kg, the "Absinthe de Pontarlier" GI requires 45% vol. minimum and 20 mg/l thujone.
- 🥃 Grappa piemontese — Grappa from pomace of Piedmontese varieties, distilled and bottled in Piedmont: strength from 40% vol., only 4 permitted plants.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Genepì della Valle d'Aosta · 🥃 Génépi des Alpes · 🥃 Cantueso Alicantino · 🥃 Benediktbeurer Klosterlikör · 🥃 Hrvatski pelinkovac · 🥃 Ettaler Klosterlikör
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- eAmbrosia (EU GI register), technical file 'Genepì del Piemonte', Ref. Ares(2016)4409688: liqueur of genepì plants (Annex II cat. 32 c ii, Reg. 110/2008); min. 30 %, sugar min. 100 g/l, no colourings; Artemisia genipi, A. mutellina (cultivable), A. glacialis, A. nivalis, A. petrosa; cultivation above 1500 m (never below 1400 m) in communes of six Piedmont provinces; infusion 30–60 days in 70–90 % hydroalcoholic solution, min. 7 g/l dried plant; suspension c. 90 days gives a colourless liqueur; Stefano Pin, Fenestrelle, first distillery 1823; cultivation from the 1960s
- Regione Piemonte, 04.12.2019: Genepì Piemonte IG — control by Agenzia delle Dogane, first certified production 2018, association founded 2002, 9 growers in Cuneo and Turin provinces, c. 30,000 bottles a year
- Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Annex III as at 31.01.2020 (legislation.gov.uk): Italy — Genepì del Piemonte, Genepì della Valle d'Aosta, Génépi des Alpes/Genepì delle Alpi (32. Liqueur)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks, Annex I: cat. 33 liqueur (min. 15 %, sugar from 100 g/l in general); Chapter III — geographical indications
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)