Varieties and Types of Campanian PDO Extra Virgin Olive Oil

What and how many varieties of extra virgin olive oil are there in Campania?

Campanian Oil is produced exclusively from native Campanian olives. In this region there are over 60 varieties, the most widespread being: Ravece and Ogliarola in the Avellino area; Racioppella, Ortolana, Ortice, in the Benevento area; Caiazzana in the Caserta area; Pisciottana and Rotondella, in the Salerno area. Olive cultivation covers approximately 73,000 hectares of land, ranking sixth for the production of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Italy.

Extra Virgin Campanian olive oil has a thousand-year history, a symbol of the Mediterranean diet, obtained from olives harvested from trees 4 to 8 meters tall, which represent and characterize the agricultural landscape of the entire territory.

In Campania there are four areas with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO):

• “Colline Salernitane” PDO
• “Cilento” PDO
• “Penisola Sorrentina” PDO
• “Irpinia Colline dell’Ufita” PDO

Contedoro, an oil mill since 1927, produces extra virgin olive oil with protected designation of origin “Irpinia Colline dell’Ufita” PDO, following the production regulations that require at least 85% Ravece olives and 15% Ogliarola. The presence of these varieties in the Avellino area dates back to Roman times, predominantly found in the Ariano area which is the heart of Irpinian olive production and Campanian extra virgin oil.

The Ogliarola single-cultivar opens to the nose with fresh aromas of green olive, highlighting notes of apple, artichoke and almond, on the palate it presents itself initially sweet, then exploding into an intense bitter and pungent sensation with a subtle hint of astringency.

The Ravece single-cultivar, on the other hand, offers very intense notes to the nose with hints of freshly cut grass, tomato leaf, apple and artichoke, in total harmony with the taste, centered on bitter and pungent, enriched by impressions of vegetables such as chicory. Appreciable in structure and for its dynamism in the tasting experience.