How Our Oil Is Made: Harvest -> Mill -> Storage

1Philosophy: Quality is built before the harvest

There is no quality oil without a quality olive grove. Pruning, soil management, integrated pest control — everything we do in the olive grove during the year directly conditions the result in the mill.

At Frantoio del Pasqua, we work on hillside olive groves with optimal exposure and well-drained soils in Tuscany. The prevalent variety is Frantoio, supported by Moraiolo and Leccino — the classic Tuscan blend.

2The harvest: The decisive moment

Harvest is the moment when oil quality is decided. Key variables:

Harvest timing (ripening index)

We harvest with a ripening index between 2 and 3.5 (Jaen scale, from 0 = completely green to 7 = completely black). This means olives are still predominantly green-violet, with polyphenol content at its peak and a decent oil yield (around 12-14%).

Harvesting early means less oil yield but: - More polyphenols → healthier and longer-lasting oil - Intense aromas → rich and complex fruity profile - Very low acidity → superior organoleptic quality

Harvesting technique

We use mechanical harvesters (shakers) on nets spread under the trees. We do not harvest from the ground: fallen olives undergo oxidation and fermentation that compromise oil quality.

Olives are placed in aerated bins to prevent overheating and transported to the mill within 4-6 hours of harvest.

3At the mill: The extraction process

Milling

Whole olives (leaves and twigs removed by the defoliator) are crushed with a hammer mill to break olive cells and release the olive paste.

Malaxation (Gramolatura)

The olive paste is slowly mixed (malaxed) for 20-30 minutes at a controlled temperature below 27°C (cold extraction). Malaxation is crucial to break down micro-emulsions, allowing the oil to gather into larger droplets, facilitating separation.

Key parameters managed by the master olive oil maker: - Temperature: higher = more yield, but fewer polyphenols. We prioritize polyphenols. - Duration: longer = more yield, but risk of oxidation. We maintain the perfect balance.

Centrifugal extraction (decanter)

The malaxed paste is centrifuged in a horizontal decanter. Our mill works primarily in two phases (oil + wet pomace), requiring less water addition and producing an oil richer in polyphenols.

Final separation

The raw oil passes through a vertical separator to remove the last traces of water. The product is now fresh EVOO — ready for chemical parameter verification.

4Storage: The secret of conservation

The oil is stored in stainless steel tanks with conical bottoms (to easily rack the natural sediment) and a cover of inert gas (nitrogen). The nitrogen fills the headspace above the oil, eliminating contact with oxygen and blocking oxidation during storage.

The storage room temperature is kept at 13-16°C year-round.