The Villasimius honeys we make number nine, all single-flower except the wildflower, all in 250-gram jars, all with no additives or preservatives. They differ by flower, by season and by character: from citrus, sweet and immediate, to strawberry tree, bitter and lingering. Here are all nine, one by one, with flavour, pairings and price — in order from the most delicate to the most challenging.
Why are there so many different honeys in Villasimius?
Because the Mediterranean scrub flowers in waves from February to November, and each bloom lasts only a few weeks. Citrus in spring, asphodel right after, lavender in summer, strawberry tree in late autumn. The bees follow what's there, and what's there changes every month.
The same bees work between the rows of our organic vineyards: we wrote about it in bees and the vineyard and in the series on the hive, from the queen bee to the worker bees.
The nine honeys, from the most delicate to the most intense
1. Citrus Honey — €10
Almost white in colour, liquid in texture. It comes from the nectar of orange, lemon, mandarin, bergamot, citron and grapefruit: a spring bloom that lasts a few weeks and that the bees collect all together. Floral with a fresh, tangy note. It's the most immediate of the nine — in tea, on yogurt, on ricotta. If you've never bought artisan honey, start here. See the product.
2. Sulla Honey — €10
Almost white, naturally creamy. Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium) grows wild on the uncultivated land around Villasimius: nobody sows it. Clean sweetness, light green notes, no harshness. On bread, in tea, on yogurt. See the product.
3. Asphodel Honey — €10
Pearly white, creamy, fine crystallisation. Asphodel flowers in spring for a few weeks on pastures and along the coast. It isn't farmed and it can't be planned: it arrives, flowers and passes. That's why production is limited and it's hard to find outside Sardinia. Delicate, floral, with no heavy notes. See the product.
4. Wildflower Honey — €10
Colour and taste change with every harvest. It's the only one in the range that isn't single-flower: the bees take whatever they find in the hillside scrub, and what they find is never the same. Sometimes light and floral, sometimes darker. People who think of it as a second-rate honey have usually tasted industrial ones. See the product.
5. Lavender Honey — €10
Straw yellow with amber tints, slow to crystallise. Lavender flowers in summer on sunny ground and doesn't last long. On the nose it's recognisable straight away; on the palate slightly tangy, with a long finish. It's the honey for aged pecorino and hard cheeses. In tea it holds the sip together better than the others. See the product.
6. Thistle Honey — €10
Beige amber, floral and fruity with an astringent finish. Wild thistle grows along field edges and in uncultivated pastures; nobody plants it. It sits halfway: not as delicate as asphodel, not as challenging as strawberry tree. In Sardinia it goes with seadas, aranzadas and Carnival sweets, but it also works on duck breast and on pane carasau with mixed cheeses. See the product.
7. Eucalyptus Honey — €10
Medium-dark amber, creamy and velvety. Eucalyptus grows everywhere in Sardinia, along roads and near streams. The aroma is balsamic and stays in your nose after the spoonful; underneath there's a deeper note, almost of dried mushrooms, that surprises anyone not expecting it. Aged cheeses, toast, winter herbal teas. See the product.
8. Chestnut Honey — €15
Dark amber, lingering aroma, bitterish finish. The bees forage among the wild chestnut trees (Castanea sativa) of Villasimius, in the same area as the vineyards. It isn't a honey that goes with everything: the bitter finish is its signature. We pair it with Brennas, our Cannonau, because they have the same structure. On aged cheese and with carasau it changes the dish. It keeps for up to 24 months. See the product.
9. Strawberry Tree Honey — €20
Dark amber, bitter, astringent, long. The strawberry tree flowers in late autumn, when almost everything else has stopped: it's the last harvest of the year and the hardest, and the price reflects that. No other Italian honey has that bitter component. In Sardinia it is the base of a traditional nougat. It works in coffee, on ricotta, Sardinian pecorino and robiola, on melon, on white chocolate mousse. People who taste it split in two: those who love it straight away and those who come back to it later. See the product.
Which honey should you choose?
- If you've never tried artisan honey — citrus or sulla.
- If you want something you can only find here — asphodel or strawberry tree.
- If you use it on cheese — lavender on aged pecorino, chestnut or strawberry tree on hard cheeses and ricotta.
- If you like bitter flavours — chestnut, then strawberry tree.
- If you put it in tea or herbal teas — lavender or eucalyptus.
- If you want to know how the year went — wildflower: it changes every time.
Thistle honey is in the "Sunset Villasimius" box together with Entu and Zankitai; strawberry tree honey is in the "Orange Experience" box with the two skin-contact wines. If you'd rather receive them with the wines twice a year, there's the Wine Club.
Frequently asked questions
How many kinds of honey does Colline del Vento make?
Nine: citrus, sulla, asphodel, wildflower, lavender, thistle, eucalyptus, chestnut and strawberry tree. All from Villasimius, all in 250-gram jars.
Which is the rarest Sardinian honey?
Among ours, asphodel and strawberry tree: both depend on short blooms that can't be planned. The strawberry tree flowers only in late autumn and is the hardest to harvest — that's why it costs €20 compared with €10 for most of the others.
Why is strawberry tree honey bitter?
It's the character of the strawberry tree's nectar, not a flaw or a sign of poor storage. No other Italian honey has that bitter, astringent component.
Is crystallised honey still good?
Yes. Crystallisation is a natural process: it changes the texture, not the quality. Some honeys, like asphodel and sulla, are creamy from the start. A honey that stays liquid for years is more suspicious than one that crystallises.
How should honey be stored?
At room temperature, away from heat and direct light, with the jar tightly closed. No need for the fridge. Chestnut honey keeps for up to 24 months.
Which honey goes with Sardinian pecorino?
On aged pecorino, lavender works well: a clear aroma and a long finish that stands up to the salt. On ricotta and fresh cheeses, strawberry tree is better, where the bitterness makes a contrast.
Is wildflower honey lower quality?
No, it's just different: it comes from several blooms instead of one. The result changes with every harvest, which is why some people prefer it to single-flower honeys.
Nine jars, nine blooms, one territory. Open two in a row and you'll understand Villasimius better than from a map.
Salude e trigu — Colline del Vento
