Autumn in Tuscany means new, freshly squeezed olive oil. The olive tree stands alongside cypresses, vineyards and hills as an icon of the Tuscan landscape, and between late October and early November the olive harvest takes place — an ancient ritual repeated for thousands of years, timed to when the olives reach the right maturation and turn from green to black.
The craft
Six steps that make the difference
Extra virgin olive oil is a fruit juice: pure juice from the simple pressing of olives. It sounds easy — it isn't. We asked Torciano's oil craftsmen to walk us through the fundamentals that separate a good oil from a great one. Everything else is experience and trade secrets.
The olives
Healthy, firm, and picked at the right degree of ripeness, which changes with the variety, sun exposure, altitude and climate.
The harvest
From the plant, never from the ground. Olives must come off the branches without trauma, since damage triggers fermentation.
Transport
Olives must reach the mill fresh, within a few hours of harvesting, in perforated containers rather than bags, to keep them ventilated.
Preparation
Olives are defoliated and washed thoroughly to remove dust, soil and anything else that could alter taste and smell.
Milling
Beyond the technology — many mills now run continuous-cycle systems — what matters is a clean crusher and fast processing at low temperatures.
Storage
In clean, suitable containers, kept in odor-free rooms away from light and at a controlled temperature. Unfiltered oil needs to be "racked" so it doesn't sit in contact with its sediments.
The Torciano oil
What the soil gives the oil
Tenuta Torciano's Extra Virgin Olive Oil owes much of its quality to the soil where the estate's olive trees grow. A highly alkaline soil, combined with cold extraction performed exclusively by mechanical means, gives a final oil with very low acidity and a distinctive flavor — the same oil is listed in the estate's Italian-language shop too.
Extra virgin also means "first pressing": it takes about 5 kg of olives to produce one liter of the estate's oil. It contains antioxidant compounds that protect it from rancidity, and if you store it correctly, away from light and heat, it keeps unchanged for 12 to 18 months.
The new extra virgin olive oil, freshly pressed, is one of the products experts look forward to most, and this year the Torciano Extra Virgin Olive Oil stands out for quality and flavor, thanks in part to the excellent olives harvested this season.
In the kitchen
Where it belongs on the table
This oil suits every culinary use: a simple dressing, scalding, frying. Try it on a slice of toasted bread — bruschetta — or on pasta in bianco; the same delicious result comes from drizzling it over salads or quality meat, Fiorentina above all. It also pairs beautifully with white meat, fish and carpaccio. This blond nectar is, in short, the perfect condiment for every kind of food.
Buy 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil and other gourmet products on www.torciano.com.
Visit the ShopFive kilos of olives, one liter of oil, no shortcuts.
FAQ
When does the olive harvest take place in Tuscany?
The olive harvest takes place between late October and early November. This ancient ritual is timed to when the olives reach the right maturation and turn from green to black.
How long does Extra Virgin Olive Oil last if stored correctly?
If you store it correctly, away from light and heat, it keeps unchanged for 12 to 18 months. This is because it contains antioxidant compounds that protect it from rancidity.
How much does it take to produce one liter of olive oil?
It takes about 5 kg of olives to produce one liter of the estate's oil. This process is known as "first pressing" or Extra Virgin.
How should olives be transported after harvesting?
Olives must reach the mill fresh, within a few hours of harvesting. They should be transported in perforated containers rather than bags to keep them ventilated.
