In the gentle uplands of northwestern Sicily, Gianfranco Becchina's country estate is an ideal location for growing olives. Sixty acres of olive groves - thousands of trees - roll away behind high walls surrounding the estate, part of which was the villa and grounds of the Princess Pignatelli of Spain. With an exact eye for detail and quality, he has restored the olive groves and developed an extra virgin olive oil of world-class stature.
The olives used are 100% of the Nocellara del Belice variety. Gianfranco does not chemically treat these fine olives in any way as some of his trees are 300 years old. He picks the olives while they are still green but coated with a light whitish sheen that only exists for a few weeks at most. This is called the white phase and is regarded by many as too early to harvest-usually in October when yields are low. But Gianfranco seeks the strong green flavors in his oil. This also helps to preserve the oil's intense aroma and high quality. They are stone-crushed under huge millstones then laid on mats and pressed gently. The unfiltered oil is stored in rotund terracotta amphora until spring, naturally clarifying itself. It is never filtered, but decanted into the distinctive Olio Verde rectangular bottle. One you will never forget!
SKU:
OLIOVERDE
