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How we make our Olive Oils |
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My family has owned their private estate near Bari, Italy in the Apuglia region for generations. The Apuglia region is known as the region with the national production supremacy of olive oil in all of Italy. We have trees on the property over 1,000 years old that are still producing incredible fruit. Brando's Bella Italia is a product that is made with tradition, care and labor. Our harvesting modes have changed very little over the years. Our family groves are harvested by hand to ensure the olives are picked at the perfect ripeness and to prevent bruising. Net slings are used on each person who stands on a ladder to pick the fruit. This practice goes back to ancient times. Many other mechanical harvesting methods exist to alleviate the cost of hand picking. Tractors with claw apertures grab the tree trunk and shake the tree violently causing the fruit to fall. This method inevitably damages both the tree and the fruit. This violent way of picking olives leads to bruised fruit and a very different tasting oil with high acidity. Hand picking is the only way to assure the very best tasting Brando's Bella Italia Extra Virgin Olive Oil. After the olives are picked, our family takes them to the mill for pressing. The olives are not usually stored for more than six hours. Most other manufacturers store their olives in bins several days before going to press. Storage in this manner creates heat causing fermentation. This changes the taste of the oil and higher acidity levels. Heat is never added to our precious oil. Before the olives are crushed with traditional granite millstones, they are washed and sorted, removing leaves and small twigs. The crushed olives form a paste that is moved into a cylindrical trough. Thereafter, the oil is separated from the paste by means of special filters. It takes 10 pounds of olives to make 1 liter of olive oil. Always remember, the Corantina olive is said to produce the best extra virgin olive oil in all of Italy! It has a delicate fragrance and a taste that leaves no doubt that this is the juice of an olive. This particular cultivar thrives in a dry, hot climate. The soil, altitude and sun exposure all add to the wonderful taste of a Corantina. Sadly, in recent years, most smaller Italian olive oil producers have cut down their olive groves replacing them with grapevines because of the growing market for wine and the high labor costs involved in "hand picking" olives. Consequently, the olive oil market is now dominated mostly by large commercial producers who can afford the budget necessary for promotion and new technology. Private estate olive oils such as ours are equivalent to private reserve wines and should be cherished. |
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