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CORTI BROTHERS' SELECTION OF NEW EXTRA VIRGIN OILS: HARVEST
2000
Corti Brothers has now received all of our 2000 harvest
selection of extra virgin olive oil from several producing countries. 2000
was a difficult year for oil production through out the Mediterranean. Only
top producers managed to bottle fine oil which will give a lot of pleasure.
In spite of the weather, what quality oil was produced is very good; quantity
is down considerably--Italy 32% less compared to 1999.
There are three typologies for extra virgin oil. They are based on olive fruit
intensity and are: light, medium, and intense fruitiness. However, this has
nothing to do with fruit--berry or exotic fruit character--as in wine, but
that of the olive.
It is also improper to speak of "the best" oil.
The best for what purpose? It is necessary that the oil be produced by mechanical
means; have less than 1% oleic acid, and not have any taste defects. This
last is conveniently forgotten when some oils are bottled. Not having any
defects in taste is most important, because having low oleic acid is something
even an inedible oil can have.
Now, all E.U. oil producing countries must
have extra virgin oil undergo a panel test with local expert tasters and
achieve an average score of 6.5 out of a possible 9. If the oil submitted
does not get such a score, it legally cannot be sold as an extra virgin.
In our list of oil, you will also have the panel test score.
From Crete
Once again, the Psyllakis family estate at Zymbragos, in western Crete, has
produced a lovely oil from the small fruited Koroneiki variety. Extracted
using the Sinolea system of "selective filtration," the oil is
literally dripped from metal blades dipping into the crushed olive paste.
Hazy, unfiltered, this oil has merely been settled and racked off its deposit.
It has a fragrant, slight artichoke/grass scent, medium fruity intensity;
medium pungency, and low bitterness.
BIOJOY, Psyllakis Estate (panel score: 8.5)
From Spain
Last year, the Lovera family, owners of this estate, used
the very Andalusian word "Cortijo" rather than the more Castillian
Spanish "Hacienda" for their label. It will be Hacienda
Fuencubierta from now on. This splendid oil, considered one of the 10 best in Spain, is
a blend of Picual, Hojiblanca, Ocal, and Arbequina varieties from the Cordoba
area. Since the Loveras only bottle their best production (the rest is sold
off) quality is very high. Picked in late October, before the November and
December rains which affected a great deal of Spain's production, this is
an intense oil with a delicious, green fruit character and great balance
due to the skillful blending of the varieties. Filtered.
HACIENDA FUENCUBIERTA, (panel score: 8.1)
From Italy: Here we have the three typologies:light,
medium, and intense fruitness.
LIGURIA
Ardoino VALL'AUREA is produced from the
traditional Ligurian cultivar Taggiasca. Sinolea system produced, VALL'AUREA is
an exceptional, delicate, light fruity oil. Ardoino FRUCTUS
AUREUS is its technological counterpart.
Sinolea extraction is used, but the tiny Taggiasca olives are pitted before
being crushed. This is an ancient idea, but only now has up to the minute
technology made pitting possible. Pitted fruit gives great stability to oil
so it better resists rancidity.
UMBRIA
Paolo Fantozzi is one of Italy's leading food scientists and his lovely
oil is back in stock. Not only has he improved his production technology
using a two phase decanter centrifuge, but his estate of Seggiano is again
producing Moraiolo fruit that was lacking in previous years due to dieback
from a freeze. JANUS is medium intense
oil produced from Frantoio, Leccino, Moraiolo, and San Felice cultivars.
JANUS, Paolo Fantozzi (panel score 7.38)
MANCIANTI
Alfredo Mancianti, an old friend, is one of Italy's foremost oil producers.
In the 2000 harvest I selected his UMBRIA DOP oil
and unique AFFIORATO. Alfredo
uses the very Umbrian cultivar Dolce Agogia in his blend, giving a special
roundness to his oils. The AFFIORATO oil
is not extracted in the traditional fashion using mechanical separation,
but is "skimmed"off the paste
surface when it rises on the paste mass. It is produced by "flowering," rising
much like cream to the top of milk. Mancianti is the only producer to commercialize
this style of oil. The UMBRIA DOP oil is a medium intense oil; the silky
AFFIORATO is light medium.
TUSCANY I Bonsi is an
old property in the Reggello, the most famous area for oil in Tuscany, south
of Florence. Owned by the Budini-Gattai family, oil made there is grown on
intensive cultivation trees and is cold pressed since the oil is extracted
using stone mills and hydraulic presses. This is a very difficult production
method since it demands around the clock production. I Bonsi is probably
the last large oil producer in Tuscany "pressing
olives." They succeed wonderfully.
The LAUDEMIO oil is a special production made from olives
harvested in early November and the I BONSI oil is from fruit harvested slightly
later, without Moraiolo, which had fallen from the trees due to rain. The
LAUDEMIO is an intense fruity oil; the I
BONSI, a medium fruity oil.
Fattoria
I Bonsi LAUDEMIO (panel score 7.5 ) Fattoria I BONSI (panel score 7.3 )
SARDINIA:
SOLIANA is
an oil I discovered last November in central eastern Sardinia, in the village
of Oliena. Soliana is the old name for Oliena and means "luminous." Produced
from two typical Sardinian cultivars, Bosana and Nera di Oliena, both noted
for very high quality and stability, it was harvested in the first 10 days
of December, 2000. This is intense fruity oil at its most distinctive. Sardinia
currently is making off with practically all of the highest awards in intense
fruity oil in Italian competitions. If you like intense fruity oil, here
it is!
SOLIANA Oliena AgriBioFood (panel
score: 7.9)
With our 2000 harvest oil selection, you have a wide range
of oils to choose from, diverse olive cultivars, and all the extraction technologies
possible. There is something for everyone.
