The 29th edition of the “Italian Cherries” National Competition concluded with the announcement of Italy’s leading cherry-growing excellence. The event was organized by the National Association of Cherry-Growing Towns, which brings together 73 Italian cherry-growing municipalities.
This year, 29 samples from different production areas across the country took part, setting a genuine participation record, according to the organizers themselves. Historically, the competition had attracted around twenty samples.
The competition presented four awards: “Most Beautiful Cherry in Italy”, assessed on the basis of visual characteristics; “Best-Tasting Cherry in Italy”, focused on organoleptic qualities; and “Best Cherry in Italy”, determined by combining the scores of the two previous categories.
The final award was the “Special Municipality of Bracigliano Award”, named in honor of the host municipality. The event is held each year in a different cherry-growing town.
The title of Most Beautiful Cherry in Italy 2026 was awarded to the Bracigliano Natura cooperative, led by Domenico Liguori, for the Spernocchia variety, a cultivar that symbolizes the Campania area of the Irno Valley.
The award confirms the outstanding visual qualities of a cherry characterized by its large size, slightly heart-shaped form and particularly attractive color.
The “Best-Tasting Cherry in Italy” award went to the Quartieri Nino e Marisa farm, owned by Giuseppe Quartieri and based in Savignano sul Panaro, Modena, for the Sweet Saretta variety, which was praised by the jury for its flavor and aromatic qualities.
For the Modena-based farm, the result represents further confirmation of its position among the leading names in Italian cherry production.
The Special Municipality of Bracigliano Award was presented to Rosanna Gullo from Chiusa Sclafani, Palermo, who entered the competition with the Ferrovia variety, one of the most representative cultivars in Italian cherry production.
The most prestigious distinction, the title of Best Cherry in Italy 2026, was awarded to the Alfonso Ferrentino farm of Bracigliano for the Spernocchia variety, which achieved the best overall balance between visual and organoleptic qualities.
The result confirms the value of this mountain cultivar, regarded as a local variant of Ferrovia but deeply connected to the soil and climate conditions of the Irno Valley.
The work of the evaluation committee was also particularly significant. It consisted of professionals specializing in sensory analysis and was coordinated by Carlo Conticchio, director of the National Association of Cherry-Growing Towns.
In addition to Conticchio, the jury included panel leader Sabrina Lucchetti, together with Adolfo Terribili, Giuseppe Di Paola and Ivano Cannone.
The panel applied evaluation methods that had already been successfully tested in the “Ramoscello d’Oro” national olive oil competition, bringing a rigorous and scientific approach to quality assessment in the cherry sector.
The 2026 edition of the competition therefore confirmed not only the high quality standards of Italian production, but also the central role of varietal biodiversity and the connection with areas of origin.
Marco Pederzoli, Terra e Vita
Image source: Stefano Lugli
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