Why Sicilian EVO Oil?

Italy is one of the main players in the global economy olive oil sector: depending on the year, it competes with Greece for the role of second-largest producer; while it is firmly second in exports and first in consumption.

It is the country in the world with the largest number of olive tree cultivars. Olive trees in Italy produce nearly 600 varieties of olives, corresponding to approximately 42% of the world's olive cultivars.
Sicily alone has more than 30 different cultivars and this is precisely one of the peculiarities that make Sicily a special place for the production of high-quality EVO oil.

But what makes Sicilian EVO oil so fragrant and special?

The climate - Sicily enjoys a privileged geographical position in the center of the Mediterranean. The climate is characterized by hot summers and mild, rainy winters, with highly variable transitional seasons. On the coasts, especially the southwestern one, the climate is more influenced by African currents, meaning summers can be scorching. The olive tree is rightly the symbol of the Mediterranean region, as it adapts perfectly to the climate. the temperate, mild and sunny climate, allowing olive trees to grow lushly throughout the territory, from the hinterland to the coasts where the sea breeze plays a fundamental role.

The morphology of the territory - Sicily offers a diverse terrain morphology. Moving from the coast to the hinterland, the altitudes and, above all, the composition of the soil that supports the olive trees change. The prime example is represented by Etna volcano, the olive groves on its slopes grow and bear fruit in volcanic soil that has few equals in the world, at a hilly altitude that allows the plant to thrive. Due to its conformation, Sicily also offers a hilly territory that rises in front of the Mediterranean, taking advantage of the proximity to the sea without the influence of seawater degrading the quality of the precious fruit. Rich crops are also found inland where, thanks to the protection of rock formations, many olive groves are located in hilly areas characterized by clayey soils rich in minerals.

History and tradition - Sicily has a millennia-old tradition of producing olive oil. It was the Phoenicians and Mycenaeans who brought this plant to the island, originally from the regions northeast of the Caspian Sea. The Greeks of Sicily made the olive tree sacred; uprooting even a single tree was punishable by exile. Ancient Rome made Sicily its reserve for the empire, alongside olive oil production, wheat production was also introduced. During Arab rule, olive cultivation was neglected in favor of other crops, such as citrus fruits. It was the Benedictine and Cistercian monks, in the first half of the fifteenth century and throughout the sixteenth century to bring the olive tree back into fashion in the Sicilian landscape. The Monks They brought important innovations, especially regarding the extraction process in the olive presses. From that moment on, the importance of olive oil became enormous in the economic, cultural, and religious history of the entire Mediterranean region.

The variety - Sicily is home to a vast array of olive varieties, both typical and exclusive to Italy. Each variety has unique characteristics that are reflected in the flavor, aroma, and properties of the resulting oil. Among the most renowned varieties are: Moresca, Tonda Iblea, Nocellara del Belice, Biancolilla, Nocellara dell’Etna and Cerasuola.