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)

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October 9, 2023 In EVOO

Olive Oil, what’s the difference?

It might seem as if olive oil is just that. However, there are a number of different quality grades that warrant a bit of explanation to help you navigate labels and make the best choices.

 

The market for Olive Oil is vast – in Italy domestic demand outstrips supply and so you can imagine how much oil needs to be sourced from outside to fulfil the volume demands of large companies who supply supermarkets around the globe. You can find an incredibly broad range of quality in the bottle therefore.

 

Here are the main three quality grades that you can find on the label.

 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO):

 

EVOO stands as the highest quality grade of olive oil, representing the purest and freshest form of olive juice. It maintains exceptional quality with low free acidity, not exceeding 0.8 grams per 100 grams, and no sensory defects. This superior grade retains the olive’s natural antioxidants for the longest time, as well as vitamin E, and phytosterols due to minimal processing.

 

Virgin Olive Oil (VOO):

 

VOO is of a slightly low quality compared to EVOO. It is produced through a similar natural process and may have a free acidity of up to 2.0 grams per 100 grams. Minor organoleptic imperfections may be present, but it retains the fundamental characteristics of olive oil so it makes a good and more economical option for larger scale cooking.

 

Olive Oil (OO):

 

OO, is often a blend of refined and natural olive oils, with a free acidity typically not exceeding 1.0 grams per 100 grams. However, the refining process it undergoes may result in a reduction of natural antioxidants and potentially higher levels of trans fats compared to unrefined olls.

 

If you want to be sure that your EVOO is indeed what it says it is then the best way is to source directly from the press house – which Frantoi does for you!