2017 was an unusual year in Tuscany characterized by months of drought and record-breaking high temperatures. This had a devastating effect on the famous olives trees with many dropping early fruit or others producing shriveled “raisins”. As a result, this year’s harvest was over 60% less than in previous years.
However, for those olives trees that flourished Under the Tuscan Sun, either through 50+ year-old deep roots, irrigation, or just ideal geographic location, the olives produced this year and the resulting oil was extraordinary, possessing all the characteristics of the aged-old trees, the volcanic Tuscan soil, and of course the amazing Mediterranean climate. This is your 2017 IL DIVINO Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
As we have now been producing 100% pure Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil for three years, it is so fascinating how each year’s oil is completely unique. While our 2016 oil was a beautiful light green color characterized by a peppery after taste perfect especially for fish, the taste was not immediately appreciated by some.
The 2017 IL DIVINO Extra Virgin Olive Oil can best be described as rich and creamy with a color lighter than our 2016. Since it’s pressing about a week ago, many Tuscan’s have described this year’s oil as the definition of how premium extra virgin olive oil should taste. This is certainly, to some extent, due to the mature, deep-routed trees, and the prolonged warm summer temperatures. Returning to the taste/flavor, you can not believe the buttery, clear oil that we are certain you will absolutely love.
Perfect for dipping, on meats, vegetables, or fish, the pureness (is that a word) of this oil is clearly like nothing we have ever offered before. While we absolutely loved our 2016 IL DIVINO Extra Virgin Olive Oil, some took a bit of time to appreciate the uniqueness of that past peppery offering. This in not the case in 2017, you will love it from the very beginning and be amazed how Extra Virgin Olive Oil can taste this succulent.
For 2017 we also made a major change in our pressing procedure. As many of you have heard of “cold”-pressing, our previous pressing was a combination of cold-pressing coupled with the traditional old-world grinding stones. While these grinding stones were extremely charming, they were not appropriate for the closed, cold-pressing technique now standard in the olive oil world.
In addition, while our olives have always been obtained from growers producing olives under organic techniques (no pesticides), using the grinding stones introduced the possibility of some non-organic contamination. Therefore, to obtain the highest European “Bio/Organic” certification, eliminating the grinding stones and producing your oil in a completely closed, organic-specific production pressing ensures the very highest quality organic extra virgin olive oil.
While we are not certain whether the new closed cold-pressing system contributed to the amazing 2017 IL DIVINO Extra Virgin Olive Oil, we are pleased to be offering you your oil produced in the most modern organic method.
We are so proud of our 2017 IL DIVINO Extra Virgin Olive Oil and we sincerely hope you love it as much as we do. Grazie Mille!!!