Extra-virgin Olive Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil is obtained from olive trees situated in the Park and is among the most appreciated oils in Umbria for its undisputable organoleptic qualities, color from green to yellow, average fruity fragrance, average bitter and spicy taste, total maximum acidity no more than 0.65 g for 100 g of oil.
The olive qualities are Moraiolo, Frantoio, and Leccino.
Olive harvesting is carried out by hand with the so-called stripping method or olives are raked with special rakes so that they can fall on nets placed under the trees: this is still the technique, without a doubt expensive, which gives the opportunity to gather intact and ripe fruits. This method is still to prefer for olives to preserve, but it represents the first of the essential elements to obtain a fragrant extra-virgin olive oil without unpleasant fragrances.
Afterwards, the olives are gathered in special plastic "airy boxes" preserved far from sources of heat and the olives are pressed within 18-24 hours from the harvesting. In this way, the olives do not ferment in anaerobic way, giving origin to aliphatic alcohols producing in oil defects like "inflammation" and, in extreme cases, "mold".
The extraction process is exclusively mechanic, and this distinguishes our extra-virgin olive oil.
Montecchio Oil Festival. In the area of Montecchio, traditionally linked to olive cultivation and big oil producer (about 1,500 quintals per year), the olive oil festival is held in December. It includes a series of events dedicated to this precious product, as well as other local products, in particular legumes and wine. Besides conferences on the history of oil, there is the possibility to taste it in the local oil presses. The event also includes cultural initiatives and a historical re-enactment dedicated to the stages of olive harvesting in the Middle Ages. In Montecchio there is also an interesting Oil Museum displaying the necessary tools used during the various olive processing stages.
