Harvest and trasformation

The olive grove is the most substantial part of our property and extends over 37 hectares. It is cultivated with the Carolea and Tonda natives of Strongoli. It has 7,400 olive plants, with a potential production of 400 quintals a year. On average we produce 30,000 bottles a year (0.5 – 0.75 liters).

In 1981 we started a decade-long collaboration with the Istituto di Ricerca Agroalimentare di Cosenza (Agro-alimentary Research Institute of Cosenza) to determine the best harvest time for olives based on the micro-climate, terrain and plants. The result is that the olives are now collected from the middle of September rather than between November and December. This earlier harvest time (more than a month compared to the standard) creates superior organoleptic quality.

The harvest is mechanical, with some manual processes. We use olive picking combs for the century-old plants. The olive is grown in a goblet shape and the milling occurs immediately to preserve the aroma of the oil and the characteristics of the fruit. The press, owned by the company, is used solely for our production. A continuous cold cycle is used for pressing.