New Season Olive Oil !

After one of the most beautiful Octobers that any of us can remember, it will be a long winter in Italy.

Many Italians I know find comfort right now in receiving their order of new season olive oil, sent directly by producers had just picked and pressed their ripe olives. Eagerly, I am awaiting my oil now, 15 liters of it, to last me for some months : with ease, you can order your own too, and have it shipped directly to your home.

If you order from family owned Il Borghetto you have the option to adopt their olive trees, ensuring that in a year of tenuous income for a Tuscan family, their trees will be well looked after and will continue to produce and thrive — and give you wonderful oil both now and in years to come.

Il Borghetto is certificated organic, and is sited between Florence and Siena in Chianti Classico. Since 1990, the family has produced extra virgin olive oil.  Their trees are distributed over 30 hilly acres and include four traditional Tuscan varieties : Morellino, Frantoiano, Pendolino and Leccino.  Vineyards alternate with olive trees.

While there was no oil at all last year, this year the quantity is good and the quality excellent, with no problems with white fly, not too hot a summer, a relatively dry September and October and long warm days in November.  The freshly pressed oil has a brilliant yellow-greenish color with a slightly pungent aroma and a soft fragrance of artichoke.

Picking began on October 19 and is still ongoing.  Olives are picked by hand and pressed on the same day.  This year’s crew in the olive groves and at the mill is nearly all female, and so, says owner Ilaria : “we have a delicious woman-made oil, which is a wonderful thing these days !”

Adoption of three trees means three liters of 2020 (new) season olive oil plus a 10% discount for 2021 order.  Oil comes in a compact, lightweight can.  I adopted nine trees, and I know that at least four other Insider’s Italy travelers have joined me in adopting others.  Il Borghetto’s Adopt an Olive program is priced at 70 Euro, to include three liters of olive oil.   Shipping is extra.  Order at https://ilborghetto.bigcartel.com/products.  Your new season oil will be shipped out very quickly.

As you put together a wish list for your 2021 trip, please know that we coordinate extra virgin oil tasting workshops and olive oil themed cooking classes. Between late October and early December, we organize interactive olive oil immersion with olive picking, visiting the olive mill, designing of a personal olive oil label, bottling, extra virgin olive oil cooking courses plus dinners and lunches built around the celebration of new season oil !  You return home with a bounty of remarkable oil to enjoy and share.  We’re eager to discuss. Contact us or complete our no obligation survey.