'Cultivar' is an English term used in botany and is the result of the union of the words 'cultivated' and 'variety'. It therefore means "cultivated variety."
The essence of most of our collections is precisely a blended oil. Our multicultivar oil, in fact, is made by pressing olives from different varieties of olive trees grown in an area that has always been connected to our family, where we grew up and nurtured our dreams. It represents our territory and the tradition we have carried forward for three generations.
If you see a single-variety (and therefore 'monocultivar') oil among our range, it's because both are authentic gems of nature.
On what basis, then, should you choose one or the other?
By tasting a single-variety oil, you can focus on its purity and the unique characteristics of its variety. With blends (and therefore, blended oils), however, you can appreciate the union of different flavors: thanks to our extensive knowledge of our oils, we create new harmonies of flavor.
Important note: Neither oil surpasses the other in quality.
Blending in the production of extra virgin olive oil
The difference between a multi-cultivar oil and a single-varietal oil certainly doesn't concern quality.
Also used in the world of wine, whisky, and coffee, blending is the art of combining different flavors and aromas to create something new.
The final blending result, therefore, is enhanced by the unique characteristics of each individual olive used and can satisfy a variety of taste preferences.
The blended oil from Frantoio D'Orazio
Our multivarietal oil comes from as many as 8 olive cultivars present in our area.
Each variety and each oil obtained from them has its own characteristics and all of them, together, contribute to the creation of a tasty and balanced EVO oil blend:
- vegetal notes of leaves, grass and artichoke, typical of the Olivastro and Simona varieties;
- notes of almond, characteristic of Cima di Melfi ;
- medium perception of tomato and grass typical of Nociara ;
- a sweet aftertaste of ripe olive pulp ( Leccino) dominates,
- notes of hazelnut, rocket and radicchio ( Cima di Mola) ;
- notes of leaves and vegetables ( Coratina) ;
- aromatic herbs and unripe tomatoes characteristic of Picholine .
The resulting flavor combination guarantees an excellent sensory experience. Leafy green tending towards golden yellow and slightly fruity, it will enhance the flavor of your dishes without altering their taste.
Indeed, there are many possible uses. The multivarietal oils in our Collections delicately enrich:
- Fresh salads
- Vegetable purees
- Rice soups and savory soups
- Pasta and beans
- Artichokes, asparagus, cooked vegetables
- White meats
- Bruschetta, sauces
- Boiled legumes
- Baked tomatoes
- Truffle sauce.
In our article "How Does the Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil Come?" , we mentioned harvest times. These are also crucial in shaping the flavor: the riper the olives are when pressed, the sweeter the resulting oil will be.
This means that the same olives, if pressed when still unripe, give rise to a different oil.
As you may have noticed, many details influence the final product. But beyond the differences between cultivars, types of oil, and levels of ripeness of the olives, what matters to us is guaranteeing you an excellent quality EVOO every year, a green gold to be enjoyed raw and beyond .
