This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs  (2)

‘MIEL DE LIÉBANA’

EC No: ES-PDO-0005-01196 – 10.02.2014

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1.   Name

2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.4. Other products of animal origin (eggs, honey, various dairy products except butter, etc.)

3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

‘Miel de Liébana’ is a food product made by honeybees in the comarca of Liébana from the nectar of flowers or secretions from the living parts of plants that grow in Liébana’s ecosystems, which the bees harvest, transform, combine with specific substances they produce themselves, deposit, dehydrate, store and leave to ripen in the combs of the beehive.

Varieties and types:

The varieties of honey that are produced in the area and may be covered by the Protected Designation of Origin ‘Miel de Liébana’ are:

—   Honeydew honey: made from oak and holm oak honeydew, and from the nectar of Erica spp. (heathers), Rubus sp. (blackberry) and a variable percentage of pollens found in Liébana’s flora.

—   Single-flower heather honey: made from the nectar of the following species: Erica cinerea, Erica vagans, Erica tetralix, Erica cirialis and Calluna vulgaris (ling heather).

Common specific characteristics of PDO ‘Miel de Liébana’ honeys:

Physical and chemical characteristics:

Ripeness:
— Sucrose content	maximum 5 % (5 g/100 g)
— Moisture	maximum 18,6 %
Degree of freshness (determined after production):
— Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)	< 20 mg/kg
— Diastase activity	25–55 Schade scale
Deterioration:
— Free acidity	less than 50 meq/kg
Purity:
— Water-insoluble solids	maximum 0,1 g/100 g
— Foreign matter	without residues, filtered through a < 0,2 mm mesh sieve

Pollen characteristics:

The pollen spectrum of PDO ‘Miel de Liébana’ honeys must mirror that of the area’s vegetation, which mainly consists of the following families: Leguminosae, Ericaceae, Rosaceae, Fagaceae, Plantaginaceae, Asteraceae and Boraginaceae, the species of which are listed in the table in point 5.1.

In any event, the pollen of Eucalyptus sp. (eucalyptus), Helianthus annuus (sunflower), Olea europaea (olive), Cistus ladanifer (brown-eyed rockrose), Thymus sp. (thyme), Lavandula stoechas (topped lavender) and Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) combined may not exceed 5 % of the total pollen spectrum.

Additional characteristics of the specific types of honey:

Physical and chemical characteristics:

	Electrical conductivity (mS/cm)	Colour (mm Pfund scale)	Ash (g/100 g)	Fructose + Glucose (g/100 g)
Honeydew	0,970 –1,430	≥ 102	0,65 –0,75	60–66
Heather	0,845 –1,280	90–119	0,65 –0,70	≥ 67

Pollen characteristics:

	Specific pollen (%)
Honeydew	Oak and holm oak honeydew predominate, in addition to Rubus spp. and Erica spp. pollens, and other pollens from Liébana’s characteristic flora.
Heather	Must contain a minimum of 45 % heather pollen (Erica spp.), along with a variable percentage of other pollens from Liébana’s characteristic flora.

Organoleptic characteristics:

	Physical state	Colour	Aroma	Taste
Honeydew	Fluid consistency, with a very low crystallisation tendency.	Very dark amber, sometimes almost black, with black-brown tones, reflective sheen.	Woody with low intensity and persistence. With a light malty component.	With distinct salty components which offset the sweetness typical of all honeys.
Heather	Pasty consistency. Medium crystallisation tendency (fine granulation.	Amber to very dark amber with reddish-brown tones. If it becomes very cold when stored during the winter the colour may turn to light amber.	Heavy floral with average intensity and persistence.	Slightly bitter and persistent, with very pronounced salty notes.

3.3.   Raw materials (for processed products only)

—

3.4.   Feed (for products of animal origin only)

—

3.5.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

All the stages of production and extraction of Liébana honeys must take place within the defined area.

3.6.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.

In order to guarantee quality and ensure inspection, all the processes that form part of the method of production of ‘Miel de Liébana’ must be carried out in centres located within the defined geographical area, because if these operations were carried out elsewhere the product would have to be transported to facilities outside the area and its quality could be impaired by temperature, humidity and absorption of foreign substances or odours during transportation. This also minimises the risk of the product being mixed with other honeys not covered by this PDO.

Packaging must be carried out in packaging centres located within the production area for the reasons given above.

The product must be packaged in transparent, colourless glass containers which are hermetically closed to prevent the loss of natural aromas and the entry of odours, moisture, etc. and have a seal to guarantee that they have not been opened.

The packaged honey must be thick or crystallised.

Bulk sales are prohibited.

3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling

In addition to the mandatory information specified in the regulations on the labelling and presentation of foodstuffs, the following must be displayed prominently on the label:

—	The name of the Designation of Origin: ‘Miel de Liébana’.

—	The words ‘Denominación Geográfica Protegida’ or the letters ‘DOP’ and the corresponding European Union logo.

—	Type of honey: ‘Miel de Mielada’ or ‘Monofloral de Brezo’ (depending on the pollen characteristics specified in the product description).

—	The Designation of Origin’s own logo, reproduced below.

—	The control number with the name of the inspection body or a secondary label.

COLOURS	:
YELLOW	:	PANTONE 130C
BROWN	:	PANTONE 4695C

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The area of production of ‘Miel de Liébana’ PDO comprises all the municipalities of the comarca of Liébana in the Autonomous Community of Cantabria.

These municipalities are:

Cabezón de Liébana, Camaleño, Cillorigo de Liébana, Pesaguero, Potes, Tresviso and Vega de Liébana.

They cover a total area of 570 km2.

5.   Link with the geographical area

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area

5.1.1.   Natural factors

The comarca of Liébana is in the heart of the Cantabrian Mountains. Naturally defined by its morphology and physiognomy, it is enclosed by some of Cantabria’s highest peaks, which form a natural boundary. These extend towards the centre, forming four deep, narrow, steep-sided valleys, which converge at Potes, the geographical and administrative centre.

It is circular in shape, a huge caldera surrounded by massive limestone walls, bordered by the Picos de Europa. Altitudes are lowest in the centre, at around 300 m.a.s.l., increasing to 2 600 m.a.s.l. at the periphery.

Geologically speaking, it is the Carboniferous rock that predominates. Limestone from the Lower Carboniferous, affected by karstic processes, makes up the Central and Eastern massif of the Picos de Europa and the northern part of the comarca. The easily eroded slate and sandstone at the valley bottoms are from the Upper Carboniferous.

Because of its orographic complexity, Liébana has its own distinct microclimate, which makes it a Mediterranean enclave within a region that is under the influence of an Atlantic climate.

In Liébana the average temperature ranges from 21 °C maximum to 8 °C minimum; frequent frosts are very common for three or four months a year.

It is a very wet comarca, with an annual average of 2 000 litres per square metre on the summits but only 700 litres in the centre of the valley, where it can be dry for up to three months.

Liébana has a high nature value, which is particularly well preserved and has been changed little by human activity. Tree cover is 41 % and in addition there are now seven protected areas covering more than 32 % of the territory. Two of these are protected at national level – the Picos de Europa National Park and the Área de Protección del Oso Pardo – and five at European level. Of those five, two are SCIs (Río Deva and Liébana) and three are SPAs (Sierra de Peña Sagra, Desfiladero de la Hermida and Liébana).

All these factors combine to make the area home to an extraordinary variety of plants, and types of forest and flora that flourish in Atlantic climates coexist with typically Mediterranean species.

Pollen tests on the honey have identified 40 pollen types. The most important ones have been included in a list of Liébana’s main melliferous plants, which gives the names of the families and species, and indicates their apicultural importance and phenology:

MELLIFEROUS FLORA (Family, scientific name, common name)	APICULTURAL IMPORTANCE	PHENOLOGY (Flowering period)
ERICACEAE
Erica sp. (heather)	N	May – October
Calluna vulgaris (ling heather)	N	July – September
ROSACEAE
Rubus ulmifolius (elmleaf blackberry)	NP	June – August
Prunus spinosa L. (blackthorn or sloe)	NP	April – May
Crataegus monogyna (common hawthorn)	NP	April – May
LEGUMINOSAE
Trifolium sp. (clover)	N	April – July
Cytisus cantabricus (escoba)	NP	April – August
Genista florida and G. obtusiramea (piorno, escobón)	NP	May – August
Medicago sp.	NP	March – September
FAGACEAE
Quercus pyrenaica (Pyrenean oak)	PH	May – September
Quercus petraea (sessile oak)	PH	May – September
Quercus ilex rotundifolia (holm oak)	PH	May – September
Quercus suber (cork oak)	PH	May – September
Castanea sativa Miller (sweet chestnut)	NPH	May – September
BORAGINACEAE
Echium vulgare (viper’s bugloss)	NP	March – May
ASTERACEAE
Centaurea spp.	N	May – July
PLANTAGINACEAE
Plantago sp. (plantain)	P	May – September

(N = nectar P = pollen H = honeydews)

The melliferous species found in the area flower at different times, so from March to November the bees have a huge variety of plants to choose from.

The use the bees make of this melliferous flora confers unique, distinctive characteristics on Liébana honey.

With knowledge of the pollen spectrum of Liébana honeys, the area’s specific melliferous flora and the fact that the honeys contain minimal amounts of crop pollen and other pollens commonly found in honeys produced in the Iberian peninsula, the product can be easily distinguished.

5.1.2.   Human factors

Liébana’s beekeepers are continuing a tradition that goes back centuries. The beginnings of beekeeping were linked with the need to produce wax, which was a valuable commodity in a rural subsistence economy. The Cartulario de Santo Toribio de Liébana contains texts testifying that wax was used to pay for land sold in the year 933.

The first references to Liébana honey as such are found in the libros de tazmías [tithe records] of the end of the 16th century, laying down the tithes to be claimed by the Church, which included honey.

These historical references are supplemented by culinary references (desserts such as ‘merdoso’, made once a year after the pig was killed, ‘frisuelos’ [pancakes] with honey, and ‘orujo’ [pomace brandy or marc] with honey), which all attest to this tradition.

The beekeeping practices that the beekeepers have inherited from their forebears are:

—	Use of wooden beehives.

—	The hives are moved from low-lying areas to areas at higher altitudes (transhumance) in order to fully exploit the potential of the comarca’s melliferous flora.

—	The bees are not artificially fed while they are making honey.

—	The bees are removed by the traditional brushing method.

—	The honey is extracted by cold centrifugation or decantation of the combs, never by pressure.

—	Smokers are still used and natural, traditional plant products – mixtures of hay produced in the comarca and oak (Quercus spp.) and laurel (Laurus nobilis) leaves – are used as fuel, in order to produce cold, aromatic smoke which does not alter the characteristics of the honey.

—	The temperature of the honey does not rise above 40 °C at any stage of the production process and pasteurisation is prohibited.

—	Most of the swarms used are produced in the comarca and adapted to the area.

At present the comarca has 32 professional beekeepers with 1 568 beehives and five extraction and packaging facilities. Some of the beekeepers are members of an association that has been set up to promote Liébana honey, and the Feria Apícola de Vega de Liébana [Vega de Liébana Honey Fair] is held once a year.

5.2.   Specificity of the product

The distinctiveness of Liébana honeys is reflected mainly in their physical, chemical, pollen and organoleptic characteristics.

They are fresh honeys (HMF ≤ 20 mg/kg of honey, with diastase activity between 25 and 55 on the Schade scale).

They are intact honeys which have not undergone intense heat treatment. They must not be heated to temperatures above 40 °C. This ensures that they retain the character conferred on them by the area’s bees and its flora.

Their distinctive physical, chemical, organoleptic and pollen characteristics are derived from the characteristic flora of the area, where, unusually, types of forest and flora that flourish in Atlantic climates coexist with typically Mediterranean and alpine species.

Study of the different pollen spectra of these honeys, used as markers, has made it possible to define the plant species of apicultural importance from which they are derived (listed in the table in point 5.1.1), which for the heather honey include many specific Ericaceae and for the honeydew honey include many species of the genus Quercus, which form part of Liébana’s melliferous flora, whose nectar and honeydew when transformed by the bees distinguish the honey from honey produced elsewhere. This constitutes direct evidence of the link between these honeys and the defined geographical area where they are produced.

5.3.   Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI)

The Mediterranean-type microclimate that prevails in the comarca of Liébana, which is close to the Cantabrian coast but is surrounded by high mountains which isolate it from other comarcas and the Cantabrian Sea, gives the comarca its distinctiveness; this favours the proliferation of an extremely rich melliferous flora, which determines the distinctive characteristics of the honey produced there.

Liébana honey, as identified by pollen data and the results of the physical, chemical and sensory tests, is a distinctive, unique product that is directly linked with the flora found in Liébana’s ecosystems (classified as a Site of Community Importance owing to its many habitats of conservation interest as listed in Annex I to Directive 92/43/EEC).

There is a long tradition of production of ‘Miel de Liébana’, which continues today and is manifest in the management of the beehives and the current production process. As a result, and because of its specific qualities, the honey is highly prized and it has been sold under this name on the market for over 30 years.

Publication reference of the specification

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (3))

http://www.alimentosdecantabria.com/

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(1)   OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

(2)   OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12. Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(3)  See footnote 2.