🥃 Genepì della Valle d'Aosta
Herbal liqueur from high-altitude wormwood (genepì) grown and processed in the Aosta Valley: EU PGI, at least 4 g of dried plant per litre.
Genepì della Valle d'Aosta (local spelling Génépy) is an EU protected geographical indication for herbal liqueur made from alpine wormwood, called genepì here. The plants must grow in the Aosta Valley, and the liqueur is made there too. It is a sweet-bitter drink, greenish or clear in colour, traditionally served after a meal.
Protected name. The name appears in Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 among Italian liqueurs, next to Genepì del Piemonte and the Franco-Italian Génépi des Alpes. It now falls under Regulation (EU) 2019/787. According to Gazzetta Matin, the regional agriculture department and the Istituto della Grappa della Valle d'Aosta began the work in 2014. The following year the ministry approved the name by decree, and the control plan was submitted in December 2019.
Rules. Genepì for the liqueur is grown in the Aosta Valley above 1,400 m on sunny slopes (adret) and above 1,350 m on shaded slopes (envers). A litre of liqueur must contain at least 4 g of dried plant, and the origin of the raw material must be traceable. The base is the wormwood species Artemisia genipi and Artemisia glacialis. The plant is protected by law, so it is mostly cultivated.
Tradition. Valley residents have long used genepì as a folk remedy for inflammation and digestive trouble, infusing it in water or milk, and nicknamed it the mountain aspirin. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries distilleries spread through the region and made the liqueur by maceration: dried herbs were steeped in spirit for several days. Suspending the plants above the spirit gives a clear liqueur.
Why this matters to you. The name Genepì della Valle d'Aosta on a label means local mountain plants and production in the valley. The folk reputation of genepì as a medicine does not apply to the liqueur. It is a sweet alcoholic drink, and you should not drive after it. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe amount of alcohol.
Facts
| EU category | liqueur (category 33 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787; category 32 under Regulation 110/2008); geographical indication |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Regulation (EU) 2019/787; previously Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 |
| Raw material | alpine wormwood (genepì) from the Aosta Valley, above 1,400 m (adret) or 1,350 m (envers); at least 4 g of dried plant per litre |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Genepì della Valle d'Aosta → kind of → 🍸 Liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Maceration
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🍸 Liqueurs
- Related to
- 📍 Aosta Valley
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Grappa della Valle d'Aosta, 🥃 Absinthe, 🥃 Bayerischer Kräuterlikör
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that genepì is the mountain aspirin?
That is the folk nickname, because the herb was used for inflammation and digestive upsets. But the liqueur is an alcoholic drink, not a medicine. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe amount of alcohol.
Where is genepì grown for Genepì della Valle d'Aosta?
In the Aosta Valley: above 1,400 m on sunny slopes and above 1,350 m on shaded ones.
How much plant is in the liqueur?
At least 4 g of dried plant per litre of liqueur.
Why is some genepì clear?
If the plants are not immersed in spirit but suspended above it, the alcohol vapour draws out the aroma without chlorophyll, and the liqueur comes out colourless.
Who secured protection of the name?
The regional agriculture department together with the Istituto della Grappa della Valle d'Aosta. The work began in 2014.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🥃 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.
- 🥃 Bayerischer Kräuterlikör — Protected EU geographical indication for herbal liqueurs of Bavaria: spirit infusions of herbs, roots, flowers and spices, sweetened with sugar or honey; at least 15 % vol.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Genepì del Piemonte · 🥃 Génépi des Alpes · 🥃 Hrvatski pelinkovac · 🥃 Cantueso Alicantino · 🥃 Chiemseer Klosterlikör · 🥃 Benediktbeurer 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
- Gazzetta Matin, 17.06.2021: Génépy IG della Valle d'Aosta — process from 2014 (Assessorato all'Agricoltura and Istituto della Grappa della Valle d'Aosta), ministerial decree the following year, control plan December 2019; plants grown in the valley above 1400 m (adret) and 1350 m (envers), liqueur made in the region, min. 4 g/l dried plant; folk use as 'aspirine des montagnards'; distilleries from late 19th — early 20th c.; suspension method
- Italian Botanical Heritage: Genepy — Artemisia glacialis and A. genipi, wild plants above c. 2000 m, cultivated in Aosta Valley and Piedmont, legally protected plant, dried herbs steeped in alcohol, digestif
- Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Annex III as at 31.01.2020 (legislation.gov.uk): Italy — Genepì della Valle d'Aosta, Genepì del Piemonte, 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)