We’re just a couple of days into September, and we are already wondering what the new harvest olive oils will taste like.
Technically, the official start of the olive harvest in Italy is scheduled for the end of this month. But depending on the season, each producer will make their way to the fields at different times, from now up to November. The fascinating thing about dealing with nature it’s its unpredictability: even in the same season every region, or micro-area, has different agricultural dynamics, challenges, and outcomes. Just taste all the Gustiamo EVOOs and you’ll have a multi-aromatic sensorial experience.
For 2019/2020 “forecasts are optimistic, and we are glad that the southern regions have fully recovered after last year’s drop in production,” said David Granieri, the president of the National Union of Olive Producers. Yes, compared to last year, a 80% growth in production is expected. Thrilling news that made us enthusiastically run to ask to our olive producers for a bulletin of their first impressions.
For some of them the olives might be fewer, but of promising quality. Lucia told us that in Toscana the olives look healthy and plump, because the olive fly hasn’t attacked the groves this year (up until now!). But they are not as happy about the quantity of their olives: in Vicopisano temperatures in May dropped way lower than the average, leaving them with about 30% less olives than last year.
May was a difficult month in Molise as well, where uncommonly rainy weeks negatively affected the flowering phase, resulting in a more sparse distribution of olives on the trees. Luckily, the summer heat in Molise kept the olive fly away from the groves, protecting the olives and keeping them unscratched. With the hope of no dramatic turns, we’ll taste a flavorful Il Tratturello extra virgin olive oil.
For other of our olive oil producers this season couldn’t have been better. The regions that were touched by summer droughts are optimistic for an outstanding quality, in fact heat was beneficial to the olives, that will result in EVOOs with deeper intensity of aromas.
With still some months to go before the first delivery in the Bronx, we’ll savor the last drops of the 2018/2019 harvest. Remember: real extra virgin olive oil, milled right after harvest, filtered, and kept in the right conditions will stay fresh for years.