The various official stamps or certificates that are awarded to Spanish food produce rigorously control the origin and/or the production method of native products, protecting and guaranteeing both their authenticity and the traditional way in which they are produced.

At our shop, next to the description of each product, you will find any relevant stamps which the product has been awared with. This guarantees that the product itself has been through all the appropriate origin and quality controls.

There are a number of these stamps, which may cause some confusion. With the aim of helping to understand their meaning, we have produced a brief description for each of them:

• Protected  Appellations of Origin (D.O.P.) identifies an item of Spanish food produce originating from a specific region or town. Its geographical origin determines its quality or particular characteristics. All production, handling and transformation of the product must be carried out in the specified geographical area. This is a stamp recognised by the European Union.

• Protected Geographical Indicator (I.G.P.) is similar to the D.O.P. and applies to prestigious Spanish food produce that are associated with a geographical area, even though the entire production process may not occur within this area. In most cases, it is the production process rather than its origin that determines the particular characteristics of the product, so highly appreciated by customers. This is a stamp recognised by the European Union.

• Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (E.T.G.) certifies that a Spanish food product has been obtained from traditional raw ingredients, or has a traditional recipe, or has been produced following a traditional method. This is a stamp recognised by the European Union.

• Denomination Appellation of Origin (D.O.) guarantees the geographical origin and quality of wines. The wine awarded D.O. status must have been produced from a particular variety of grapes grown within the specified geographical area, and using only specific methods. This is a stamp recognised by the European Union.

• Artisan Food Product Stamp (A) is awarded to Castilla – León and Asturias family food businesses that guarantee the customer an individualised final product of high quality and distinct characteristics that are possible thanks to mainly manual production techniques managed by a qualified artisan. This is a stamp recognised by the Castilla y León and Asturias Government.