Miele delle Dolomiti Bellunesi

Miele delle Dolomiti Bellunesi is an Italian mountain honey with a protected designation of origin (PDO) from the province of Belluno in Veneto. It is made by the local ecotype of Apis mellifera, a cross of the Italian and Carniolan bees, from the nectar and honeydew of mountain meadows and woods.

The name covers eight types: wildflower (millefiori), acacia, lime, chestnut, rhododendron, dandelion, forest honeydew and silver fir honeydew; the last two were added in 2023. All types have water of at most 18 % and HMF of at most 10 mg/kg when packed. Pollen minimums: acacia over 15 %, chestnut over 90 %, rhododendron over 25 %, dandelion over 5 %. Chestnut honey is dark brown, bitter and tannic, acacia honey pale, very sweet and typically liquid, and rhododendron honey almost colourless, turning creamy as it sets.

The province has over 2,200 plant species, and low temperatures and little human pressure help the honey keep. Hives are fixed and moved within the mountain zone, with harvests timed to the flowering phases. Jars are glass with a metal lid sealed by the label.

Why this matters to you: choose the type by taste, because one name spans delicate acacia, bitter chestnut and resinous honeydew.