Torremaggiore has returned, this year too, to be the national and regional capital of extra virgin olive oil with ‘L’Oro di Puglia and L’Oro di Federico II’, an event held from 3 to 5 May and organized by the Municipality of Torremaggiore and OLEA – National Association of Olive Oil Tasters, with the collaboration of the Gal Daunia Rurale 2020, the University of Foggia, the ISISS ‘Fiani-Leccisotti’ of Torremaggiore, the Daunia Rurale Food District, the La Peranzana Association, of the Peranzana Alta Daunia Consortium and with the organizational support of One Eventi.
The three days dedicated to oil producers, enthusiasts and lovers of extra virgin olive oil, included the Grand Gala for the award ceremony of ‘L’Oro della Puglia e di Federico II’, one of the most important national events in the sector; moments of tasting and conviviality but also training, talk shows and hackathons.
Furthermore, this year the event hosted the Heritage Wine Festival, a sensorial journey into the world of wine set in fascinating and historic places in the area.
“In recent years we have tried to grow the event to enhance our territory and Peranzana oil, an excellence that is establishing itself on all the tables of the world. The other excellence to be valorised is the new generations, who we wanted to actively involve so that they are increasingly aware of the wealth they possess”, said the mayor of Torremaggiore Emilio Di Pumpo.
The event opened on Friday 3 May at the Catello Ducale with an introduction to oil meeting dedicated to the students of ISISS ‘Fiani – Leccisotti’ in Torremaggiore organized by the Olea association – International School of Sensory Analysis and Culture of foods.
“We are hit by often misleading advertising messages, the truth is that quality extra virgin olive oil is known by a very small part of the population. Educating young people on the quality of extra virgin olive oil is the best investment that can be made for the future“, argued with conviction the president of the Olea association Renzo Ceccacci who held the meeting with the students, also guiding them in tasting three different varieties of oil.
On the afternoon of Friday 3 May, at the Ducal Castle, the La Peranzana association told the story of the Peranzana cultivar with video screenings, readings of fairy tales and tastings of extra virgin olive oil. The meeting, conducted by the president of the La Peranzana association Massima Manzelli, included the special intervention of the president of Olea Renzo Ceccacci who led a very particular extra virgin olive oil tasting.
The students of the ‘Fiani-Leccisotti’ institute were also protagonists on the morning of Saturday 4 May with the talk show on “Economy, marketing and communication for olive oil and territory” and the hackathon organized by the University of Foggia and the Food District with local associations.
The president of the Gal Daunia Rurale 2020, Paki Attanasio, spoke to the students about the role that storytelling has in creating economies, not only of production but also social and relational. “You cannot sell a product if you do not sell the territory, if you do not acquire the awareness of possessing and producing incredible riches that other communities would like. We have them and we must know them in order to communicate them”, underlined Attanasio, underlining the importance of involving young people, entrepreneurs and consumers of tomorrow.
Antonio Stasi, professor of Agricultural Economics and Policy at the University of Foggia, and Angela Della Penna, copywriter and communicator, highlighted the need to focus on exports and marketing strategies. Puglia produces 42% of Italian oil, 8% comes from the province of Foggia for a total of 311 thousand quintals which generate a turnover of approximately 236 million euros. The long-term challenge will be to increase the value of the oil by facing the obstacles represented by climate change (which negatively affects production, generating an increase in prices) and the demographic decline which tends to reduce the number of consumers. “We are in the era in which we are looking for elements that can increase the value of products, not only from a quality point of view, but also in terms of price. In this, marketing is as fundamental as any technological, engineering or food safety innovation“, commented Stasi.
The talk was followed by a hackathon with the students which had the aim of producing an editorial plan for social media capable of evoking the history, images and value of Peranzana oil. “The direct involvement of the school is an important step to enhance extra virgin olive oil. These meetings represent a first step for something that must become systemic“, declared the head teacher of “Fiani-Leccisotti” Carmine Collina.
Furthermore, on the afternoon of Saturday 4 May, the Taste Fair of Daunia Rurale took place which saw the exhibition and tasting of agri-food products from the companies of the Gal Daunia Rurale 2020, the La Peranzana association and the Consortium in Piazza Italia. Peranzana.
On the morning of Sunday 5 May, the awards ceremony for the 16th Regional Award “L’Oro della Puglia” and the 5th Regional Award “L’Oro di Federico II” took place at the Ducal Castle.
An event that saw the presence of as many as 60 companies and oil mills from all over the Puglia region. The quality of the oils was excellent and the awards for the various categories and types reached all the provinces of Puglia.
“We are pleased to be able to contribute with our competitions, together with local bodies and associations, to be increasingly alongside producers to increase the quality and visibility of this fundamental sector for the economy of the Daunia area and of the entire Puglia“, declared the president of Olea Renzo Ceccacci.
“We are happy that this initiative has now become a regional and national point of reference and that with it we can spread a message increasingly aimed at knowledge of the product and its qualitative properties, helping to promote its consumption among all families“, added the director of Olea Giorgio Sorcinelli.
Closing the three days was the Heritage Wine Festival, the exclusive event dedicated to wine lovers – organized by One Eventi in collaboration with the Italian Sommelier Association Puglia and Olea – National Association of Olive Oil Tasters – which offered the possibility of taking a sensorial journey through the best labels and the most fascinating stories of the local winemakers.
The awarded companies
5th REGIONAL PRIZE “THE GOLD OF FEDERICO II”
AGRICULTURAL COMPANIES SECTION
Blend type
Intense fruity category
1st place: Az. Agr. Spaccavento Francesco Saverio, Molfetta – Spaccavento blend label
Medium fruity category
1st place My Father is a Tree, San Severo – label I chose it for you
2nd place Az. Agr. Moffa Salvatore, Torremaggiore – Don Salvatore blend label
3rd place ex aequo: Fratelli Ferrara sas, Canosa di Puglia – Fontana Rosa label and Terre Sanseveresi srls, San Severo – Oro Daunio Biologico label
Monocultivar type
Intense fruity category
1st place: Az. Agr. Leonetti Francesco, Andria – Terrematte label
2nd place: Az. Agr. Marinelli Antonio, San Severo – Marinoli label
3rd place: Azienda Agricola Quaranta, Torremaggiore – Nonno Colo label
Medium fruity category
1st place: Az. Agr. Donato Conserva, Modugno – Mimì Coratina label
2nd place: SAS L’Aurora “Visconti – Storie di Terra”, Torremaggiore – Unico Monocultivar Peranzana label
3rd place: Podere Serraglio srl, San Severo – Peranzana Bio label
Light fruity category
1st place: Agricola Toma, San Severo – Olio del Poeta label
CRUSHER SECTION
Blend type
Medium fruity category
1st place: Frantoio Sacco Oliveti by SOFI sas, Torremaggiore – Equilibrio label
Monocultivar type
Intense fruity category
1st place: Oleificio Cericola Emilia Soc. Agr. Srl, Fraz. Borgo Incoronata – Foggia – Cericola Aria Coriana label
Medium fruity category
1st place: Agr. Soc. PA.VI.RO snc, Torremaggiore – Olio Principe Incanto label
2nd place ex-aequo: Salamida Pietro Frantoio Oleario, Alberobello – Monovarietal label Oliva Rossa e Nonno Vittorio srl, Torremaggiore – Peranzana label Nonno Vittorio
3rd place: Agroalimentare Nodì srl, San Paolo di Civitate – Nodì EVO Oil label
Light fruity category
1st place: Oleificio Cericola Emilia Soc. Agr. srl, Fraz. Borgo Incoronata – Foggia – Cericola Terra label
16th REGIONAL AWARD “THE GOLD OF PUGLIA”
AGRICULTURAL COMPANIES SECTION
Blend type
Intense fruity category
1st place: Agr. Az. Spaccavento Francesco Saverio, Molfetta – Spaccavento blend label
Medium fruity category
1st place: My Father is a Tree, San Severo – label I Chose It for You
2nd place ex-aequo: Centoterre soc. agr. Di Specolizzi Daniela Anna, Ugento – Olio Centoterre label and Az. agr. Moffa Salvatore, Torremaggiore – Don Salvatore blend label
3rd place: Agr. Az. Valentini Ambrogio, Martina Franca – Olio Gianecchia DOP Collina di Brindisi label
Light fruity category
1st place: Agr. Az. Donato Fasiello, Vernole – Neo Evo label
Monocultivar type
Intense fruity category
1st place: Agr. Az. Leonetti Francesco, Andria. – Terrematte label
2nd place: Agr. Az. Marinelli Antonio, San Severo – Marinoil label
3rd place: Azienda Agricola Quaranta, Torremaggiore – Nonno Colo label
Medium fruity category
1st place: Agr. Az. Donato Conserva, Modugno – Mimì Coratina label
2nd place: SAS L’Aurora “Visconti – Storie di Terra”, Torremaggiore – Unico Monocultivar Peranzana label
3rd place: Podere Serraglio srl, San Severo – Peranzana Bio label
Light fruity category
1st place: Centoterre soc. agr. By Specolizzi Daniela Anna, Ugento – Olio Centoterre DOP Terra d’Otranto label
2nd place: Agricola Toma, San Severo – Olio del Poeta label
3rd place: Agr. Az. Luigi Guadalupi, Brindisi – Masseria Guidone “Diamante” label
CRUSHER SECTION
Blend type
Medium fruity category
1st place: Frantoio Sacco Oliveti by SOFI sas, Torremaggiore – Equilibrio label
2nd place: Monsignore srl, Fasano – Armonioso label
Monocultivar type
Intense fruity category
1st place: Oleificio Cericola Emilia Soc. Agr. srl, Fraz. Borgo Incoronata – Foggia – Cericola Aria Coriana label
Medium fruity category
1st place: Giovanni Melcarne’s Forestaforte oil mill Monocultivar Coratina Forestaforte Gagliano del Capo
2nd place ex aequo: Monsignore srl, Fasano – Picholine label and Soc. agr. PA.VI.RO snc, Torremaggiore – Olio Principe Incanto label
3rd place ex aequo: Salamida Pietro Frantoio Oleario, Alberobello – Monovarietal label Oliva Rossa e Nonno Vittorio srl, Torremaggiore – Peranzana label Nonno Vittorio
Light fruity category
1st place: Oleificio Cericola Emilia Soc. Agr. srl, Fraz. Borgo Incoronata – Foggia – Cericola Terra label
