NEW EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL – PRODUCTION 2017

It’s harvest time–you can already smell thenew oil in the air!

At this time of year the olives are harvested and the olive presses are set in motion to produce our highly prized extra virgin olive oil. We are in Irpinia where the cultivars leccino, marinese, frantoio, ogliarola and others are grown, giving an oil with a delicate taste perfect for all palates. But then there is she the queen of queens: theolive Ravece that gives a spicy-tasting oil with hints of unripe tomato, freshly mowed grass and an aftertaste of artichoke and almond. Usually the harvesting period begins from mid-October until early December when they have reached their degree of ripeness, i.e., veraison, which turns from green to a purplish color.

Today there are many ways to harvest olives: with shakers, harvesters, etc., but the best way is by hand. The harvested olives need to be deposited in large perforated plastic crates that allow air to pass through, and within 24/48h they need to be taken to the mill and pressed.

At the mill, the olives are defoliated and washed.

After that, milling begins with a hammer crusher that crushes the pulp: this is how the olive paste is made.

Then there is gramation, which consists of separating the oil from the water, it is done in large steel tanks called gramules and inside they consist of large paddles that rotate.

Finally, the extraction takes place that separates the oil must from the pomace: here is the 2017 new oil with its green color and intoxicating fragrance.

But after the theory let’s turn to practice, and what is the best way? Making a visit to the oil mill and savoring the 2017 novello oil, how about over a warm bruschetta? We are waiting for you!

Posted by:

Alfio Lo Conte

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Tecnico ed esperto degli oli extravergini di oliva, iscritto nell’Elenco Nazionale sezione Campania. Maestro di frantoio con diploma, conseguito presso International Extravirgin Agency.

Read more articles by: Alfio Lo Conte