L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano T uscany – a name syn- onymous with beau- ty, pleasure, and con- tinual delights for the s ens es . Wine- drenched villages nest sleepily on Chianti's velvet green hills; mas terpiece-ins piring vis tas boast regal cypress and emerald fields; sun drenched beaches kiss the azure Tyrrhenian sea; the heart of the Renaissance lives on at every turn; rustic country food can bring you to your knees in gratitude. So many indulgences await! Yet one Tuscan treasure might be underappreciated, if not overlooked: the extra virgin, small production olive oil of Trequanda. Tucked along the southeast- ern border of Tuscany, Trequan- da is an Italian comune that includes the small towns of Tre- q u an d a, C as telm u zio, an d Petroio. Sure, there's plentiful local pas ta and truffles and cheese and glorious wine to be had, but not to be outshined is the magnificent olive oil charac- teristic of this area. But hold on…olive oil is to Italy like tourists are to Venice – every- where, right? In essence, yes; but a number of factors unique to this particu- lar pocket of Tuscany coalesce to create an exceptional Italian "super oil." The silvery groves of Trequanda rest at an ideal ele- vation of about 1500 feet above sea level. Here, a microclimate of just-right warm days give way to cool nights, contributing to a robust, superior quality olive. The elevation acts, too, as an in- place detriment to catastrophic attacks from the olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae), a larva-lay- ing pest that avoids higher eleva- tions. The combination of sandy and clay-like soil inherent to the Crete Senesi blankets the hill- sides with an ideal mineral base that, when combined with ade- quate rainfall, richly supports the 100.000-plus trees grown here. Of the approximate 200 growers, most tend a combination of five cultivars (trees specifically culti- vated by humans) that thrive in this zone. Many have been lov- ingly planted, pruned, coaxed, and nurtured by generations of the same families. And who knows, linage could reach as far back as the Etruscans who raised olives on these same hill- sides two to three thousand years before Christ. Obviously, nature is doing its part to foster a top-notch prod- uct, but also necessary are spe- cific harvest and milling meth- ods. One local producer, the Gar- dini family of Donatella Cinelli Colombini, sums it up with the following equation: "The quality of the oil depends 50% on the soil and microclimate; 25% from the quality of the cultivar; the remaining 25% of the quality of extra virgin olive oil…from the equipment used in the olive mill, the expertise of the master oil crusher…" And expertise is certainly in place. Just outside the ancient walls of Castelmuzio is Oliviera Sant'Angelo, a 30-acre olive farm and a favored frantoio for the surrounding farmers. I had the opportunity to take a tour of the production facility last fall during the raccolta (harvest). Our host was Paolo Bindi, the current proprietor. Paolo's father bought the land and its 500 olive trees in 1970, making his dream to pro- duce oil come true. Over the years he added trees, then opened the frantoio in 1983. With 3.000 trees now under his watch, Paolo has invested his life since that time in a mirrored pas- sion to produce the finest of oils. A recent chat with Paolo shed even more light on what is nec- essary to produce a remarkable oil. In your opinion, what is key to creating the quality of extra virgin oil produced in Tre- quanda? The olive trees are cultivated for this region, a land born for olive growing. The varieties are Frantoio, Moraiolo, Leccino Pen- dolino, and Maurino. Good olives are picked by hand at mid- ripening, the right moment for maturation, and extraction begins a few hours after harvest. There are a few important rules to get the best. The extraction machines must be clean. All machinery is stainless steel and temperatures are kept no higher than 79°F (26°C). Oil storage is in steel containers with nitrogen satura- tion to avoid oxidation. Great attention to harvesting and pro- cessing clearly affects product quality. Have you always held a pas- sion for this work? Let's say the passion for oil was passed on to me by my father, Doriano. Then time, com- mitment, dedication to the work, and the appreciation for our oil pushed me to find ways to improve by lending more atten- tion to factors we talked about that create the best oil. Certainly, it is hard work and it is not always possible to get a good profit. It is demanding. We obtain excellent quality, but average production is low – 17/20 kg of olives per plant, leading to 1 to 1.5 liters of EVO. The costs of cultivation, pruning, harvesting by hand, and process- ing are very high. In keeping with producing a superior oil, the facility transi- tioned from grinding olives with the traditional stone wheels and woven straw mats to full automa- tion, implementing a continuous extraction system. Software, along with the keen oversight and judgement of Paolo and company, monitors the seamless low temperature extraction of the oil. This method allows for high retention of organoleptic proper- ties (all things related to the 5 senses) and produces the oil that Trequanda rightly boasts of – intense, rich oil that releases an incredibly pleasing and satisfy- ing burst of flavor. Additionally, all oils produced for sale here are designated D.O.P. Terre di Siena, Toscano I.G.P., or Biolog- ic (organic) in order to adhere to strict standards and high quality. The town of Castelmuzio has seized upon the growing trend of slow travel/slow food and is finding novel ways to market and get the word out about the region's incredible oil. A recent- ly initiated Festa dell'Olio Novo has taken place each October in recent years. The harvest and new extra virgin oil are celebrat- ed with tastings, tours of nearby Oliviera Sant'Angelo, street games, local tournaments, dis- plays, and a community dinner featuring local food and wine. As a fortunate participant, I can whole-heartedly say the offerings were unforgettable! As rich and overflowing with pleasures as Tuscany is, it's time to make room for one more incredible experience and prod- uct: getting to know the comune of Trequanda and the extraordi- nary green gold that flows from its heart. PAULA REYNOLDS Trequanda olive oil is considered one of the treasures of Tuscany © catiamadio | Dreamstime.com Freshly picked Tuscan olives, ready to be turned into precious oil © Georgios Tsichlis | Dreamstime.com Tuscany's green gold – the superior extra- virgin olive oil of Trequanda LIFESTYLE IDENTITY PEOPLE ADVICE

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