Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Volpaia)

Product of Tuscany, Italy

Situated on a ridge in the hills stretching from Florence to Siena, the fortified village of Volpaia, with its medieval origins, is home to the estate of Castello di Volpaia. The olive trees at Castello di Volpaia are in the perfect setting for producing a fruit of exceptional quality. Giovannella Stianti and her family extract their oil using the sinolea technique. Classic Tuscan olive varieties are crushed in a stone mill, then, instead of pressing the paste under high pressure as is traditional, it is passed through the sinolea machine. Hundreds of tiny steel blades comb through the paste, gently pulling the fresh oil from the solids. The sinolea yields are low, but the oil, so delicately handled, is extraordinarily pure and low in acidity. The resulting oil of a rather dense green color and intensely fruity nose is perfect for adding an elegant flavor to any dish.