Giovanni Capuano of Tenuta Vallocaia inspects an olive treeGiovanni Capuano of Tenuta Vallocaia inspects an olive tree

Precious little drops



On average, it takes 10 kg of olives to produce one to two litres of oil. But this does vary depending on the variety, weather, harvest period and the quality of oil desired. At Bindella’s Tenuta Vallocaia, 2020 was a difficult year in terms of quantity. Heavy rainfall in October caused the olives to swell – with water. And thus, instead of the usual 12 or 13 per cent, the oil yield amounted to only 9.6 per cent. But the quality is excellent!


 Tried it yet?



Biennial

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.



One olive tree is not the same as another

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.



Time is of the essence!

Harvested olives should arrive at the olive mill within 48 hours, as they oxidise quickly – which would be disastrous for quality.



Premium class

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.


Cold-pressed

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.


All a question of character

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.




Our range of olive oils


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