Tuscany’s green gold: new Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2024 harvest!

This Thursday is a special one—Thanksgiving! To celebrate this day of gratitude, I’d like to send you my warmest wishes. For this occasion, I’m shifting the focus of my newsletter to highlight another precious gem of Tuscany—its green gold, extra virgin olive oil. A true symbol of tradition and excellence, perfect for enhancing every celebration!

This time of year is extraordinary for olive producers across Tuscany. It’s the harvest season, a moment of celebration when growers bring their olives to the mill, where they are crushed to produce liquid gold: fresh, vibrant olive oil.

Unlike wine, olive oil doesn’t age to improve. Its aromatic intensity, peppery notes, and bold flavors are at their peak the moment of the first pressing. Over time, these qualities gradually soften, though high-quality oils retain much of their character for months. This fleeting brilliance is why fresh olive oil is so prized—and why producers are so proud to share it during this season.

Every year, I carefully select an olive oil to share with my global community of enthusiasts. This year, I’ve chosen a remarkable extra virgin olive oil made from the Frantoio cultivar by L’Oliveta, the family-run farm of Roberta Tiberi, who patiently manage the estate together with her husband Maurizio and daughters Martina and Ilenia.

Roberta’s farm is located on the lower slopes of Monte Amiata, one of Tuscany’s highest peaks. The mountain’s ancient volcanic origin enriches the soil with minerals, creating an ideal environment for both olives and vines to thrive. From their 2,000 olive trees, the Tiberi family meticulously hand-harvests the olives early, while they’re still green. This approach ensures high acidity, intense herbaceous notes, and an extraordinary structure in the final oil.

The result is nothing short of exceptional: a 750ml bottle filled with a nectar so vibrant and fresh that it feels like a taste of Tuscany itself. It’s not often you find olive oil this fresh, especially delivered straight to your home!

These are the initial impressions from the tasting panel, reflecting the first reactions and observations of the expert tasters:

This olive oil is a quintessential expression of Tuscan tradition, showcasing a medium fruitiness that perfectly captures the region's heritage. On the nose, it offers exceptional harmony with notes of artichokes and aromatic herbs, delivering a delightful and balanced aroma. The tasting experience reveals classic flavors of fruitiness, bitterness, and spiciness, all well-balanced and persistent, yet never overpowering. Its vibrant personality enhances the freshness of the ingredients while maintaining a refined elegance. Ideal for all traditional Tuscan dishes, this olive oil is especially recommended for pairings with bread and raw vegetables, where its unique character truly shines.

If you’d like to receive this year’s freshly pressed olive oil along with a curated selection of Tuscan wines, I invite you to join my Toscana Wine Club.

??? Sign up for free and receive the new olive oil harvest delivered straight to your door!

www.toscanawineclub.com

?? Visit our Toscana Wine Club and sign in for free today! By signing up, you’ll also receive a digital copy of my Under The Tuscan Sun Wine Guide, a collection I have been working on, revealing five lesser-known wine denominations that are absolutely worth discovering. ??

www.toscanawineclub.com