Winter
Pruning. Every crown is opened so light and air can reach next year's fruit.
The story of these olive trees began long before us.
Long before our house stood here. And it will most likely continue after us. For more than ten years now, it has been our story too.
Then came the first harvest of our olives. And it changed us.
Do you know the taste of Calabrian olive oil?
The taste and aroma of Calabrian olive oil were a real discovery for us. And it was clear at once that a discovery like this has to be shared.
Much has changed since then. What matters most has stayed the same: we still love being here, working this land and caring for the olive trees.
Caring for the next harvest starts right after the olives are picked and continues all year.
What happens in the grove throughout the year?
Every year we do everything that depends on us — pruning, fertilising, ploughing and protecting the trees from pests. The rest is up to nature.
Spring
Awakening and blossom. Countless flowers become only a few fruits — the tree decides.
Summer
Heat and drought. We watch the state of the fruit and intervene as little as possible.
Autumn
The olives ripen, the colour turns. Preparation for the harvest begins.
It is not people who choose the moment of harvest — nature suggests it.
How do we know when it is time to harvest the olives?
Not by the calendar! We look at the colour of the olives on the trees.
When green olives still dominate and the first purple ones are only just appearing, it is time for Novello.
The classic oil waits for the moment when green, purple and ripe black olives hang on the trees at once.
Why does every hour matter during the harvest?
Once the harvest has begun there is no time to lose. From now on every hour counts.
Everything picked during the day has to be milled within twelve hours at most.
We have worked with the same frantoio for more than ten years. We have learned a great deal from its owner, a true enthusiast of new extraction technology.
We always taste the new oil together, right after milling, listening to every sensation. We believe good oil should have character: it greets you with a fresh aroma, gives a pleasant bitterness and at the end catches the throat a little. Just a little — enough to make you want to come back to it in the evening with fresh bread.
Every year our acquaintance with the new oil begins with Novello.
What exactly is Novello oil?
All our oil comes from the same grove and the same variety, and it is all Extra Virgin. The only difference is the moment of harvest — it is ripeness that defines the character of the oil.
Novello
Mostly green olives · earlier harvest
Novello comes first. We pick olives that are still mostly green, producing an intense, distinctive oil: rich aroma, marked bitterness and pungency. These are natural traits of oil from green olives, high in polyphenols. To keep that character, Novello is traditionally almost unfiltered.
Classica
Riper olives · slightly later harvest
When the olives grow riper, it is time for the classic oil. Its character becomes softer and calmer, more versatile: it pairs easily with different dishes without dominating their flavour.
Which character feels closer to you — Novello or Classica?
Is olive oil just an ingredient to you?
For us and for our customers, olive oil is a product in its own right — with its own character, its own taste and wide possibilities.
Sometimes a piece of fresh bread is enough. Sometimes the simplest salad. And sometimes a few drops on vanilla ice cream.
Good olive oil does not always accompany a dish. Sometimes it becomes its main flavour. One of our tasks is to preserve that flavour and bring it to you.
Why did we choose a tin for our oil?
In southern Italy olive oil is traditionally kept in tinplate. It protects the oil from sunlight and limits contact with air. Choosing the right place for storage still matters.
That is why we chose the three-litre tin. You pay for the oil, not for expensive packaging. It is a practical solution that preserves flavour and aroma throughout its shelf life.
Impressions
Gallery
