From Lake Garda to Lake Como, Lombardy also now deserves great attention for the production of oil, the main product and cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet. With the Guide Oli d’Italia dedicated to Italian extra virgin olive oils, now in its 14th edition and presented today at Sol&Agrifood in Verona, Gambero Rosso draws a map that celebrates the richness and diversity of the varieties of olives and oils present in our country.
In its own small way, Lombardy is also starting to have a long tradition in the production of olive oil, which contributes to the diversity and excellence of the Italian culinary heritage. There are three companies that represent it within the prestigious Guide, 2 of which are excellent and have achieved the maximum score, winning the prestigious title of Tre Foglie.
The Three Leaves, one of which has a star* for having achieved the title for the tenth consecutive year, are both in Puegnago sul Garda, in the province of Brescia, an area particularly suited to very high-level production:
– Comincioli*, with his The One. The Comincioli family has lived in these lands for over 6 centuries, always enhancing the cultivation of olive trees and vines. Oil production is possible thanks to the modern oil mill which also operates with the pitting method and the olive grove which has 5,000 trees spread over 19 hectares. The company also produces excellent quality wine and grappa.
– Videlle Bionatura, which shines with the Monocultivar Casaliva Bio. Maria Cristina Piodari’s is an agricultural reality that was founded in 2010 with the noble intention of recovering the abandoned olive groves on the Brescia side of Garda. Today the company continues its operation and has around fifty hectares of which 20 are olive groves for a total of 10 thousand trees. Wine production is added to the oil production.
They are joined by Tentori, from Galbiate (Lecco)this time on the shore of Lake Como, with the Due Foglie deserved by its Corona Del Monte Barro, DOP Laghi Lombardi Lario to which the entire production belongs.
“The world of extra virgin olive oil is complex and fascinating at the same time: each product has unique characteristics and our Guide aims to guide professionals and consumers in choosing the best product capable of satisfying different tastes and combinations” comments Stefano Polacchi, curator of the Guide. There are 389 producing companies for 679 extra virgin olive oil labels evaluated and included in the Guide, of which 191 are the Tre Foglie and 34 the Stelle, which have obtained the maximum score for ten years, the result of a long process of research, selection and evaluation to identify the most sublime taste but also recognizing a greater commitment to sustainability, in a global economy that competes on the lowest prices front. “Italy today finds itself competing with products of EU origin which favor quantity over quality and are able to charge lower selling prices. But the quality and long olive-growing tradition of our country must be recognized and enhanced by supporting, also through political interventions, our farmers, ambassadors of quality in the world” adds Polacchi.
Tags: Extra virgin olive oil Lombardy Gambero Rosso lakes Garda Como protagonists
