Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Italian extra virgin olive oil (EVOO oil) is unanimously considered as the best in the world for its organoleptic and nutritional qualities. The quality of EVP oil is the result of many factors: the variety of olives used, the climate and the environment of the territory in which they were grown, the methods of cultivation and production. In addition to the high quality, the Italian EVOO oil also has a great wealth of local specialties. Italy in fact has 43 extra virgin olive oils with PDO certification.

However, the production of PDO oil represents only 2% of all national production. The rest of the oil marketed as "Italian EVOO oil" can be obtained in very different ways. There are EVOO oils that, although not PDO, are of very high quality, and many others of lower quality. So let’s see how to orient ourselves in the purchase of extra virgin olive oil.

How to tell if an EVOO oil is 100% Italian?

Only if Italy is the only country mentioned on the label is it guaranteed that the oil was entirely produced in Italy and from Italian olives. It is not enough the brand "Made in Italy" as it could be produced in Italy, but from foreign olives. In other cases, the oil can be a mixture of Italian oils with those of other countries.

In addition, high quality extra virgin olive oil must always be extracted or cold pressed. Cold processing involves a lower yield of oil but allows to safeguard the aromatic components that would otherwise be lost.

Monovarietal oils

A variety of oil that has a strong typicality and identity is the monocultivar, that is obtained from olives all of the same variety, generally autochthonous of the production area. Examples of varieties of olives with which monocultivar oils are obtained are Coratina and Peranzana in Puglia, and Taggiasca in Liguria. It is clear that a monocultivar oil has a very strong character and that connoisseurs may prefer one variety over another, and for the same reason there are excellent oils that are instead obtained by mixing different varieties of olives.
Among the most important organoleptic and chemical characteristics of a high quality EVO oil we can mention the content of acidity and peroxides, which must be as low as possible, and that of polyphenols, which must be as high as possible. DOP oils often have more stringent purity specifications than the minimum required for extra virgin olive oil.