Choosing Our Olive Oil Artisans
Italy has well over 800 olive oil producers everything from small farms to huge commercial operations. The very best oils come from small producers who have complete control over their orchard, the harvesting of the fruit, the pressing of the olives, and the storage and eventual bottling of the product.
Avanti Savoia has a supplier profile. Our preferred producer is a family-owned and operated farm. Typically, the farm has been in the family for years, and in many cases, generations. In fact, some of our producers have trees that were planted in the thirteenth century. These artisans create only a limited number of products all from the trees that they own, and they do not press olives for any other farmer or from any other region
Additionally, the press and the bottling facility must be readily available, generally on the farm. The oil must be in stainless steal vats, and bottling must be in a controlled environment. Sanitary conditions are paramount. To be selected as an Avanti Savoia artisan, producers must be fanatical about the oil and the process.
To better appreciate the selection process, it's essential to know a bit about olive oil production Basically, trees must be harvested by the experience of the oil maker, not by the calendar. Olives must be harvested directly from the tree and transported directly to the press. The best oils are cold-pressed, filtered and in storage vessels within 24 hours of the picking of the fruit. Any delay beyond this time frame has a detrimental effect on the quality of the oil.
This year, Avanti Savoia requested samples of oil from 94 producers. Of those invited, 56 sent samples. The top reason for not sending samples was that that farmer didn't have any oil to spare. From the 56 samples, Vito De Carolis selected 11. He then traveled thousands of kilometers to visit each farm, interview every owner, and tour every orchard, press room, and bottling facility. Based on Vito's expert evaluation, we selected only nine oils for you to choose from.
There is a lot of good oil in the world. We tend to think the best ones come from Italy. And we also think that we have selected the “Best of the Best” for you to sample and enjoy.
Buon Appetito!
Additionally, the press and the bottling facility must be readily available, generally on the farm. The oil must be in stainless steal vats, and bottling must be in a controlled environment. Sanitary conditions are paramount. To be selected as an Avanti Savoia artisan, producers must be fanatical about the oil and the process.
To better appreciate the selection process, it's essential to know a bit about olive oil production Basically, trees must be harvested by the experience of the oil maker, not by the calendar. Olives must be harvested directly from the tree and transported directly to the press. The best oils are cold-pressed, filtered and in storage vessels within 24 hours of the picking of the fruit. Any delay beyond this time frame has a detrimental effect on the quality of the oil.
This year, Avanti Savoia requested samples of oil from 94 producers. Of those invited, 56 sent samples. The top reason for not sending samples was that that farmer didn't have any oil to spare. From the 56 samples, Vito De Carolis selected 11. He then traveled thousands of kilometers to visit each farm, interview every owner, and tour every orchard, press room, and bottling facility. Based on Vito's expert evaluation, we selected only nine oils for you to choose from.
There is a lot of good oil in the world. We tend to think the best ones come from Italy. And we also think that we have selected the “Best of the Best” for you to sample and enjoy.
Buon Appetito!
