CULTIVAR

 

There are around 800 different Olive Cultivars in Italy alone, many of which are used for Olive Oil. Similarly to grape varieties in wine, the Olive cultivar influences the flavour profile of your oil.  Different cultivars, depending on size of fruit, thickness of the skin, composition of the pulp can produce different yields, varying concentrations of anti-oxidants and overall different quality levels.

LOCATION AND CLIMATE

 

As you might expect, olives grown in cooler areas where there is more moisture (rainfall and dew) exhibit leaner, more restrained characteristics.  This doesn’t however mean that great oil can now be made in Iceland – you need a minimum amount of sunshine to make your Extra Virgin Olive Oil taste remarkable, similarly to tomatoes or stone fruit.

Olive trees are sensitive to winter freeze (the Casaliva cultivar is more resistant to cold, hence being grown in the Garda region).  It is also easier to farm organically where the climate is more stable and less chemical sprays are required to keep the trees healthy.

OLIVE MATURITY

 

Here’s the thing – all olives are green.  When they become fully mature, they turn black.
Olive maturity at the time of harvest is a major factor in flavour and quality: olives harvested earlier (green olives) feature more bitter, grassy characteristics, with lower yields and with the highest anti-oxidant content.  The oil is a much more intense green colour and has a longer shelf-life.  In terms of production, milling can take longer with green olives (a longer malaxation - the action of slowly churning milled olives to release droplets of oil - is needed and can be more complicated) but the results are far superior!  Don’t choose olive oil from over mature fruit: it lacks all the potential goodness and flavour.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL IN GROVE AND MILL

 

People who care passionately about what they make and follow it personally every day have the capacity to create products with far higher quality, with integrity, and that taste of where they come from.  They are also able to do this by caring for the environment they inhabit.

FRANTOIO DI RIVA BOX

This box contains 6 bottles of extra virgin olive oil made exclusively by Frantoio di Riva from groves on the banks of lake Garda.

Frantoio di Riva, 46°PARALLELO green label x 3 bottles (50cl)
Frantoio di Riva, 46°PARALLELO organic white label x 1 bottle (50cl)
Frantoio di Riva, 46°PARALLELO blue label x 1 bottle (50cl)
Frantoio di Riva, ULIVA Garda Trentino DOP x 1 bottle (50cl)

THE 2022 HARVEST OFFER IS NOW CLOSED

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ANY QUERIES

New Season Oil Notification

We offer new season Extra Virgin Olive Oil just once a year, when it has just been pressed to ensure it arrives with you at its freshest and healthiest. Leave your email address here for notification of when the sale goes live for the next harvest.

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Frantoi - Paolo Cassini
FRANTOIO PAOLO CASSINI
LIGURIA

Cultivars: Taggiasca
Fine, pine nut, saline
Frantoi - Frantoio di Riva
FRANTOIO DI RIVA
GARDA

Cultivars: Casaliva, Frantoio, Leccino
Mineral, cut grass, delicate
Frantoio Parovel, Frantoi
FRANTOIO PAROVEL
FRIULI-VENEZIA-GIULIA

Cultivars: Bianchera, Leccino, Maurino, Buga, Pendolino
Precise, Mineral, Invigorating
Tenuta Pennita, Frantoi
FRANTOIO PENNITA
ROMAGNA

Cultivars: Nostrana di Brisighella, Ghiacciola
Wild, Peppery, Bright
FRANTOIO FONTE DI FOIANO
TUSCANY

Cultivars: Frantoio, Moraiolo, Maurino, Picholine, Ravece
Sophisticated, peppery, herbaceous
Frantoio Gregori tile
FRANTOIO GREGORI
LE MARCHE

Cultivars: Ascolana, Rosciola, Lea, Frantoio, Leccino, Pendolino, Dritta, Picholine
Fragrant, tomato leaf, herbaceous
FRANTOIO VIOLA
UMBRIA

Cultivars: Frantoio, Leccino, Moraiolo
Elegant, aromatic, peppery
Tenuta Marco Rizzo, Frantoi
FRANTOIO MARCO RIZZO
CAMPANIA

Cultivars: Nostrale di Felitto, Rontondella, Carpellese
Pure, Intense, Aromatic
Frantoi - De Carlo
FRANTOIO DE CARLO
PUGLIA

Cultivars: Ogliarola, Coratina
Luxuriant, fruity, buttery
FRANTOIO CICCOLELLA
PUGLIA

Cultivars: Coratina, Ogliarola Barese
Intense, aromatic, delicate
Frantoi - Librandi
FRANTOIO LIBRANDI
CALABRIA

Cultivars: Carolea, Nocellara del Belice, Dolce di Rossano, Coratina, Biancolilla, Giarraffa
Herbaceous, nutty, peppery
Frantoi - Cutrera
FRANTOI CUTRERA
SICILY

Cultivars: Tonda Iblea, Cerasuola, Nocellara Etnea, Olivastro Selvatico
Spice, tomato leaf, herbaceous

Our Philosophy

Our philosophy is to supply you with the very best Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil immediately after the annual harvest (which typically takes place in October and November) when the oil is at it’s freshest and most delicious and has the highest level of antioxidants.

 

For this reason, we open the sale in October when we are sure how the harvest will be and have therefore been able to discuss pricing with each of the growers. The sale closes at the beginning of December and we ship to arrive with you in time for Christmas*.

 

(* Please note that if you have a particularly large or complicated order or it needs to arrive somewhere very far away from Italy, we will need more notice to get it to you in time for Christmas, so varying cut off times will apply)

Our Commitments

• Only from families who own their own frantoio (mill) ensuring full control from grove to bottle

 

• Only available once a year directly after pressing (November) for delivery before Christmas

 

• Only the absolute best quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 

• Only Italian

Key Influences on Olive Oil Style and Quality