Division 4.5 Method of production:

The seeds used must be of the Vialone Nano variety and certified by ENSE.

Compared with other more recent varieties, Riso Vialone Nano, which does not have a high yield, is susceptible to rice blast, is easily lodged and is a rice crop which requires particular care and attention.

The Veronese soils of the above-mentioned area, the spring water, the climate and the rotation of crops provide a balanced set of factors which make it possible for the growing cycle to be completed without difficulties, producing a complete, large caryopsis with an extended grain in the centre, which is not always found in other rice-growing areas.

It should be mentioned that Veronese soils, which are light and clear, have a pH value of 7,5 or higher, due to the presence of calcium, and that the water is also always alkaline.

This marked alkalinity characterises and clearly distinguishes the environment of the rice fields in the Verona area from that found in most Italian rice-growing areas, which tend to be acidic and often lacking in calcium.

Processing takes place in local rice-mills, the direct descendants of the numerous ‘rice huskers’ in the region during the 16th century, some of which have survived and are still operating. In these, the hull of the rice was removed by water-powered pestles. Although the production process is now usually carried out by modern machinery, it is done using criteria and striving for results stemming from a centuries-old tradition. The rice grains are never completely hulled and bleached; the grain remains partially covered by the pericarp and as such is in the best condition to be used in preparing typical Veronese risottos.