Delicacies

In any other cellar it would be a disaster: Amarone that turns to vinegar. In the Rizzardis' cellar in Negrar, it is a family tradition – and one that is older than any wine in the house. The "madre", the vinegar mother, dates back to the beginning of the last century: a living organism that has been absorbing and transforming every new Amarone vintage for over a hundred years. For ten years, the vinegar travels through ten barrels of descending size – of oak, pear, apple, cherry and almond. Each wood leaves its signature, until in the end a concentrate is created that blurs the boundary between flavour and wine.

From the Oasi di Capparrina in Menfi comes this extra virgin olive oil, a blend of Nocellara del Belice, Biancolilla and Cerasuola – three typical Sicilian varieties that grow on 98 hectares between the hills and the sea. Hand-picked at the beginning of October, about fifteen days before full ripeness, to maximise the organoleptic characteristics. Cold extraction in a continuous cycle. Bright, dense green colour. Intense aromas of fresh herbs, green tomatoes, artichoke and seaweed on the nose, with delicate notes of agrimony and basil. Fruity, savoury and intense on the palate, with balanced spiciness and a pleasant finish. Ideal with vegetable soups, pulses, fresh cheese and grilled fish and meat. SUPERIORE.DE

An organic extra virgin olive oil made from 100% Gentile di Larino from Di Majo Norante, obtained from olive trees in Molise that are over 30 years old. The early-picked fruit is processed immediately and cold-extracted to preserve its freshness and varietal identity. The colour is a warm gold with a green sheen. Aromas of artichoke, green almond, wild herbs and tomato panicle. On the palate, it is dense, clear and pleasantly flavoursome, with a fine bitterness and harmonious spiciness. Ideal with burrata, grilled vegetables, fish, pulses or simply on warm bread. An oil that conveys the soul of Molise in its purest form. SUPERIORE.DE

L'Olionovo – this is how the farmers describe the state of the oil when it leaves the oil mill freshly pressed after the authentic stone grinding process. The Olio di Oliva Extra Vergine from the Castellare di Castellina estate is made from fruit of the Frantoio, Pendolino, Ascolane, Moraiolo and Leccino varieties. When the olives are cold-pressed, the fruit reveals its intensely bright emerald green colour. The aroma is grassy and stimulating. The flavour is fruity, of medium intensity, with a hint of artichoke. Rich in polyphenols, it perfectly reflects the authentic spicy notes of a high-quality olive oil. This oil is a real treat for the palate with fresh bread, but also a great accompaniment to grilled vegetables or fish. SUPERIORE.DE

Donnafugata – a name that epitomises the poetry of Sicilian wine. The fact that the Rallo family also produces outstanding olive oil at their Tenuta di Contessa Entellina is less well known, but no less remarkable. The Milleanni combines four autochthonous olive varieties from the Valle del Belice: Nocellara del Belice, Biancolilla, Cerasuola and the rare Pidicuddara – a quartet that combines the aromatic diversity of western Sicily in one cuvée.

From the 25 hectares of organically cultivated olive groves of the Castello di Camigliano – nestled in the gently rolling hills south-west of Montalcino, where the mild climate of the Ombrone Valley creates ideal ripening conditions. Four classic Tuscan varieties characterise the oil: Leccino, Frantoio, Moraiolo and Correggiolo, harvested by hand and cold-pressed at a controlled temperature immediately after harvesting. Bright green-gold in the glass, fruity aroma of fresh herbs and green almonds, subtle spiciness on the palate and that fine, bitter aftertaste that characterises the best oils from the Terre di Siena. Certified organic – a beautiful piece of Montalcino beyond the wine. SUPERIORE.DE

When the Mazzei family discovered their love for Sicily a good twenty years ago and founded the Zisola winery near Noto, the old olive groves were part of the gift. At around 130 metres above sea level, in the giardini of the estate, four Sicilian varieties grow: Moresca, Ogliarola Messinese, Nocellara Etnea and Biancolilla – a quartet that captures the character of the island. The result is an oil of a rich golden-green colour with the unmistakable temperament of Sicily: aromas of ripe olive and sun-ripened tomato, full-bodied and round on the palate, with a subtle spiciness and a gently sweet finish. A triumph of flavours and aromas that preserves the warmth of the south in every bottle. SUPERIORE.DE

The Mazzei family has been cultivating the hills around Fonterutoli near Castellina in Chianti since 1435. Almost 600 years of experience also flow into this olive oil. The olive groves are located on barren, stony soils with southern exposure at altitudes between 300 and 490 metres. Four classic varieties characterise the olive oil: Frantoio, Moraiolo, Leccino and Pendolino. The olives are harvested by hand and processed the same day in the company's own mill, in the complete absence of oxygen, in order to optimally preserve flavours and nutrients. Extra virgin olive oil with a lively green colour and golden reflections. Artichoke, green tomato and fresh herbs on the nose. Elegant and balanced on the palate, with a fine spiciness and a delicate bitter finish – characterised by an authentic Chianti Classico oil from the new harvest. SUPERIORE.DE

This delicately fruity olive oil is mainly made from the Correggiolo variety. The fruit from the olive groves of the Talenti estate in Montalcino is carefully picked by hand and the oil is extracted within 48 hours of harvesting in order to optimise the qualitative characteristics of the product in the bottle. The colour is a beautiful green with golden reflections, the taste is fruity and intense with spicy notes of artichokes, tomatoes and herbs. Slightly savoury on the palate with a wonderfully bitter finish. SUPERIORE.DE

From the volcanic island of Pantelleria, where the wind dictates the rules: Here, the olive trees grow on terraces of black lava rock, pruned low to defy the relentless gusts. The Biancolilla – one of the oldest olive varieties in Sicily – finds its most poetic expression in this barren landscape between Africa and Europe. The olives are harvested by hand directly from the tree, early in the second decade of October, when the polyphenol content reaches its maximum. Immediate cold pressing and gramolatura in a controlled atmosphere preserve the exceptional fineness.

This olio comes from old olive groves in south-east Sicily, where the Tonda Iblea variety has been native for generations. After harvesting, it is cold-extracted immediately so that the vibrant flavour and powerful character of the variety remain unchanged in the bottle. There, the oil is a light green colour with a golden shimmer, as if the Sicilian sun is shining once again. The bouquet is fine and clear: green tomato, fresh grass and a subtle herbal flavour reminiscent of lemon thyme and young leaves. The flavour is harmonious, with a delicate bitterness, elegant, well-integrated spiciness and a juicy, green-fruity length.

From wine to oil, from west to east: Donnafugata has been cultivating olive groves on the northern slope of Mount Etna since 2016 – where volcanic soils and extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night produce olives of particular intensity. The Nocellara Etnea is the defining variety of this region: large-fruited, juicy, with a favourable ratio of flesh to stone. For this single-variety oil, the olives are harvested by hand in the second half of November and immediately cold-pressed – gramolatura is carried out in a controlled atmosphere to prevent oxidation and preserve the flavours.