HOW TO RECOGNISE A QUALITY OIL

Knowing oil and its characteristics means learning how to choose it and fully appreciate it.

ORIGIN

Origin alone is not a guarantee of quality, because oil is good when it’s made well, and regardless of where olives are grown, they can have qualities and

defects, like all produce.

Nevertheless, the careful selection of cultivars and the typical climate of some

Italian regions such as Umbria, Tuscany, Puglia and Sicily, and of some spe

cific areas in the Mediterranean, facilitate the production of fine oils.

European law prescribes that the front label must indicate the oil’s country of

origin (link to Rules for the Trade of Olive Oil), and for this reason our products’

labels say “from olives harvested and pressed in Italy”, “100% Italian” or “from

olives harvested and pressed in the European Union”

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROCESSES

During the ripening phase, called veraison, olives change colour several times: from green to yellow, to reddish, to purple, to brown, to black. Each variety has an optimal degree of maturation; extraction during this stage best enhances the oil’s sensory characteristics and achieves the best fragrance and flavour.

Like wine and other natural products, from year to year oil is the result of a number of factors that can affect its characteristics.

An example is the amount of rain that the trees may be exposed to during the season, which can cause significant variations in the bitterness of the product.

In this regard, it is not uncommon to hear terms such as “first cold pressing” or “cold extraction” – two denominations allowed by law that consumers associate to a specific quality meaning.

Actually, “first cold pressing” refers to oils obtained by a traditional “pressure” extraction system, where oil comes from the first pressing. It is actually obsolete, as olives no longer undergo two extractions. Moreover, a traditional pressure extraction system today yields oil that is, at best, mediocre: the best quality oils are obtained from modern centrifugation systems.

In any case, “cold extraction” only guarantees that the temperature did not go above 27ºC during the process. This is definitely not enough to obtain a quality product, since the pressing of defective olives will still yield a poor quality oil.

Another misconception to debunk is that the cloudiness of the oil is an indication of quality. Oil can appear cloudy because it contains a significant amount of vegetable water and olive pulp pieces. The presence of water and olive pieces causes faster deterioration of the oil’s organoleptic and nutritional properties. The filtering process of extra-virgin oils enhances and keeps intact all the beneficial properties of the product, so that it can be preserved better and for longer.

THE SEVEN GOLDEN RULES

These are the seven golden rules we follow to obtain a perfect oil.

1. We use only healthy olives from young trees, in well-irrigated, parasite-free olive groves.

2. We choose olives ripened in a favourable climate, in regions naturally suited to olive growing.

3. We pick olives directly from the tree, either manually or mechanically, in nets placed under the tree; we never collect olives that have fallen to the ground.

4. We only use olives picked at the optimal ripening stage, when their fragrance is at its best, and we discard overripe olives.

5. We transport olives to the mill in well-ventilated crates, as plastic or fabric bags encourage mould growth.

6. Crushing is carried out within 24 hours from harvesting, at the latest.

7. We use cutting-edge oil extraction systems, in accordance to hygiene standards.