Apples have been cultivated in Valtellina since the Middle Ages. However, the current extension along the valley floor and up to 900 metres of altitude, from Sondrio to Tirano, was achieved only in the past century. The soil, sun exposure, the surrounding Alps, and the proximity to the Como lake add quality to Valtellina’s apples, which stand out for their intense taste, colour, and compact pulp. Moreover, they have excellent preservation characteristics. Golden delicious, Red delicious, Gala, Fuji, Morgenduft and Granny Smith are the most common varieties. Melavì consortium gathers over 300 farms, collecting over 20,000 tons of apples from August to mid-October. In 2010, the European Union awarded the Valtellina apple with the IGP quality label.