Berenjena de Almagro

Berenjena de Almagro is a brine-fermented aubergine preserve produced exclusively from the indigenous variety Solanum Melongena var. 'Dealmagro', grown and processed within a defined area of the Province of Ciudad Real, Spain. The fruit is cooked, then fermented in a seasoning of vinegar, vegetable oil, salt, cumin, garlic, paprika and water, and packaged in the same facility where processing takes place.

About this designation

Registered as a PGI under file number PGI-ES-0011, with EU protection dating from 3 May 1996, Berenjena de Almagro is produced from the species Solanum Melongena var. 'Dealmagro', an indigenous variety entered in the Official Register of Commercial Varieties of the Spanish Ministry of the Environment and the Rural and Marine Environment under registration number 20060251. No other variety may be marketed under the protected name. The defined geographical area comprises the municipalities of Aldea del Rey, Almagro, Bolaños de Calatrava, Calzada de Calatrava, Granátula de Calatrava, Valenzuela de Calatrava and Viso del Marqués, all within the Province of Ciudad Real. Production, processing and packaging must all take place within this area. The process begins with cooking the fruit for between 5 and 20 minutes; fermentation begins immediately afterwards while the aubergine is still hot, initiating a natural lactic fermentation that lasts between 4 and 15 days. The seasoning added during fermentation contains vinegar, vegetable oil, salt, cumin, garlic, paprika and water. The finished product may be marketed whole, stuffed, with natural pepper or pepper paste, or sliced, and is packaged in cans, glass jars or other food-grade containers. Commercial labels must bear the wording 'Indicación geográfica protegida "Berenjena de Almagro"'. Each unit carries a numbered secondary label issued by the Regulatory Board and affixed at the registered processing undertaking in a manner that prevents reuse. The applicant group is the Asociación para la Promoción de la IGP Berenjena de Almagro.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PGI on 3 May 1996 under file number PGI-ES-0011; eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013416.
• Only fruit from Solanum Melongena var. 'Dealmagro', registered under variety number 20060251, may be marketed under the protected name.
• Fermentation, which lasts between 4 and 15 days, must begin immediately after cooking while the aubergine is still hot, producing a natural lactic fermentation.
• Each marketed unit bears a numbered secondary label issued by the Regulatory Board, affixed so that it cannot be reused.

Tasting notes

Castilian-Manchego pickled aubergine IGP from Almagro (Ciudad Real). Small purple-skinned aubergine, traditional vinegar-pickle preparation with garlic, cumin, paprika, fennel. Distinctive — eaten whole skin-on. Soft tender pickled flesh, intensely savory-tangy spiced flavor.

HoReCa use

The product may be marketed in four forms: with seasoning, stuffed, with natural pepper or pepper paste, or sliced.

Packaging

• glass-jar-200g
• glass-jar-500g
• vacuum-pack-200g
• bucket-1kg-brine