Olive trees have their own rhythm. The branches only produce a good crop of fruit every two years – and so there isn’t always a high yield every year. This phenomenon can be moderated with pruning.
An olive tree in central Italy produces on average 10 to 30 kg of olives. In southern Italy, where the heat makes the trees grow faster and therefore larger, you can expect 100 to 200 kg.
Harvested olives should arrive at the olive mill within 48 hours, as they oxidise quickly – which would be disastrous for quality.
The highest grade of olive oil is «extra vergine». This label guarantees that the oil is gently cold-pressed and of immaculate quality. Another clue to quality is the price: good olive oil is expensive, as it involves a labour-intensive production process.
The gentle cold-pressing process is as follows: the olives are very slowly pressed to ensure the temperature does not exceed 30 degrees, which would result in a loss of healthy vitamins and minerals. The oil is then separated from the water content using mechanical centrifugal force.
Just like grapes, each olive variety has its own character. The Leccino olive is a widely used variety, yielding a mild and fruity oil. The Frantoio variety is also right at home all across Italy and produces a fruity oil with spicy-bitter notes. The Maraiolo olive is found in Umbria and Tuscany, and produces very powerful, rich oils. Trees of the Pendolino variety are also often planted as pollinators for other varieties. All four varieties flourish at Vallocaia.
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