Olive Oil

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.

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.

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.

Balduccio is made up of around 9,000 organically cultivated olive trees, all located on the picturesque Montalbano hills between Florence and Montecatini Terme, and an oil mill that is so popular with local farmers that the most popular dates for pressing between 15 October and 15 November have been fully booked on the waiting list since the summer. This is because Balduccio not only presses its own olives, but also makes its modern technology available to other olive producers. Over the last 20 years, Balduccio has gained recognition and respect as an oil mill among local producers. It is not only the customers who are impressed by the quality. The ambition to produce top-quality oils is also increasingly inspiring other olive growers.

In the Conca d'Oro, the golden amphitheatre of Panzano, around 400 olive trees per hectare grow alongside the famous Sangiovese vines. Giovanni Manetti, the mastermind behind the legendary Flaccianello della Pieve and president of the Chianti Classico Consortium, applies the same precision to his olive oil as he does to his wines. The cuvée of 80% Correggiolo and 20% Moraiolo is harvested by hand and gently pressed on the same day – freshness and fruitiness are thus fully preserved. Fontodi has not used herbicides or pesticides since it was founded and has been certified organic since 2008.

The same hills, the same family, the same philosophy – what applies to the wine also applies to the oil. Around a thousand olive trees grow on the slopes of Monti in Chianti, mainly Correggiolo with some Moraiolo in between, in mixed cultivation with fruit trees according to old tradition. Marco Ricasoli Firidolfi harvests by hand before the olives are fully ripe – lower yields, but acidity levels below 0.2% and a wealth of polyphenols. The olives are pressed on the day of harvest, under nitrogen, to prevent any oxidation.

The Giachis think in music. Where others soberly number their oils, they compose: Adagio – the slow, gentle tempo. A name that is the programme. This deliberately mild oil comes from the hills of Mercatale Val di Pesa, in the centre of the Florentine Chianti Classico. Frantoio and Moraiolo, complemented by Leccino and Pendolino, result in a blend that does not want to overwhelm, but rather accompany.

After the Adagio comes the Allegretto – a touch livelier, a touch more gripping. The Giachis have composed this oil for the kitchen: robust enough to withstand heat, full of character to add depth to dishes. The same Tuscan varieties from the hills of Mercatale Val di Pesa – Frantoio, Moraiolo, Leccino – are blended here in such a way that they do not lose their flavours when roasted and braised, but rather develop them. The low acidity ensures excellent digestibility, while the fuller body ensures presence on the palate.