or Italians, olive oil is the basis of most culinary dishes, medicine, and an object of national pride.
If the Greeks call olive oil “liquid gold,” then in Italy they speak of it as “green” gold. You will learn more about where to buy and how to choose the best olive oil in Italy from our review.
Varieties of Italian olive oil
The olive is considered to be the most revered, if not sacred, tree growing in the Mediterranean. In Italy, it is idolized for its invaluable contribution to the existence of the entire nation – the gastronomic traditions of Italians have developed largely due to the presence of large amounts of “green gold” in the diet. However, even in the relatively small territory that the country occupies, this product is produced in different ways, and the types of olive oil number in the dozens.
In Liguria, Italian olive oil is pressed from the fruits of the taggiasca variety, giving the product a deep color and a wonderfully balanced vegetal flavor.
In the Lazio region, known for the country’s oldest olive groves, the oil has a high concentration of minerals. It is produced from carboncella, leccino, caninese, raja, frantoio, rosciola, moraiolo, olivastrone, olivago, salvaiana, pendolino and maurino varieties.
Oil from Emilia-Romagna has a light fruity flavor, contains a record amount of antioxidants and has an emerald green color with a hint of gold. Italian olives such as nostrana di brisighella and bianchera-belica are used for its production.
In Campania, Italy’s famous culinary region, olives grown include pisciottano, rotondella, frantoio, leccino and carpellese. The highly mineralized oil made from them has a slight bitterness, a balanced taste and a rich aroma of fresh herbs, artichokes and green tomatoes.Tuscany is known for olive oil with a complex aromatic bouquet and a piquant, vibrant taste.
In Umbria, “green gold” is distinguished by a fruity herbal aroma and low acidity, while in Sicily they produce olive oil with a recognizable bitterness and a complex aroma consisting of a mixture of fruity, herbal and nutty notes.
Regardless of the region of growth and variety of olives, the technology for producing oil is the same for all producers. From ancient times to this day, the most expensive step is the collection of olives. The oils for which the olives were picked by hand are especially valuable.
This is followed by the procedure for cleaning the fruits from branches and leaves, after which the fruits are washed with warm water and sent on a conveyor to a machine for removing seeds, and then under a press. When producing a quality product, the most important condition is to reduce the time between picking the fruits from the tree and extracting oil from them as much as possible.
How to choose good olive oil in Italy
To purchase the best olive oil from Italy, you need to take into account several fundamental nuances.
Extra virgin labeling
Oil, the name of which is supplemented with the inscription extra virgin, is considered the best due to the absence of preservatives and other additives.
Purpose of the product
Extra virgin oil is ideal for salad dressings and sauces, but it is not suitable for frying. For preparing dishes by baking or frying, it is best to use a little pure olive oil (or refined olive oil).
Tara
A high-quality product will be packaged in a dark glass container that protects its contents from the harmful effects of light.
Acidity index
Responsible manufacturers honestly indicate the acidity of the oil on the bottle, regularly taking the necessary measurements. The lower this indicator, the better quality the product is in the bottle. Ideally, you should strive to buy olive oil in Italy with an acidity of 0.1% -0.2%. The range from 0.1% to 1% is considered acceptable, but a figure of 2% certainly indicates low quality and mediocre taste characteristics of the product.
BIO, IGP or DOP
When you see one of these statements on a label, it’s worth remembering:
- BIO means hand-picked olives, guarantees the absence of fertilizers in their cultivation and environmentally friendly packaging;
- The IGP indicates strict quality control, but allows for the possibility of some stages of oil production being carried out in different regions;
- DOP guarantees that the full production cycle of oil production (from growing olives to capping bottles) is carried out in one region in compliance with all local traditions.
Cost of olive oil in Italy
Premium quality oil cannot be cheap. Despite the fact that on the shelves of chain Italian supermarkets you can find olive oil costing 3-5 € per liter plastic bottle, the price of a quality product starts from 10-12 €.
Tourists for whom it is important to know how much olive oil costs in Italy can be guided by a price of 15-30 €. For example, the Trappeto di Caprafico brand costs on average 10-20 € (0.5 l), Madonna dell’Olivo – 21 € (0.5 l), and Iannotta Organic produced in Lazio – 28 €.
A popular brand from Alatri called Olio Quattrociocchi produces many varieties of olive oil, with prices ranging from 13 to 28 €.
Frantoio Franci (26-31 €) and Pruneti Frantoio (33 €) are considered to be some of the best Tuscan oils. The cost of a bottle of Amoris Italian (Puglia) starts from 14 €, and Fattoria Ramerino – from 15 €.
Inexpensive brands include Agraria Riva del Garda and Decimi (you can find the oil for around 6 € per liter), as well as Sainsbury’s Toscano (5 € per 500 ml) and Carapelli (in the Italian Auchan – 6 € per liter bottle).Small “tasting” bottles of olive oil (100 ml each) are popular – they cost 4.50-6 €.