Olive oil
THE MAREMMA IS FAMOUS FOR ITS EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, THE ONE FROM GROSSETA HAS THE PECULIARITY OF BEING A LITTLE SWEETER THAN THOSE FROM THE TUSCAN HINLAND. THEY ARE HOWEVER QUALITY OILS WITH VERY LOW ACIDITY RATES.
The olive tree, the typical plant of the Maremma hills, was already known and worked by the ancient Etruscans since the 4th century BC, and is one of the flagships of Grosseto agriculture and of the entire Tuscan Maremma. It is certainly one of the most representative gastronomic symbols of the Maremma lands, together with wine. It has a greenish color, with an unmistakable fruity smell and flavour, full, aromatic and without defects. It has a very low acidity and all the production is classified as quality extra virgin olive oil, enriched with high physical and organoleptic properties which make it one of the most important and highly rated in Italy. The variety of olive tree – cultivar – that most characterizes the Maremma area is that of the Seggianese olive tree, which is found in the Monte Amiata area. The Seggiano olive plant begins to bear fruit only after many years, unlike the common one that on average around five. The precious Seggiano DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil is obtained, elegant, soft and suitable for accompanying any type of dish, a true excellence among the oil production in Tuscany. However, there are many Maremma and Tuscan oils known and appreciated throughout the world, some of which can boast numerous awards, including PGI, such as Tuscan PGI Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
IN MAREMMA IT IS EASY TO FIND A GOOD EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL. IN ADDITION TO THE SHOPS SPECIALIZING IN TYPICAL PRODUCTS, MANY FARMHOUSES OFTEN MARKET OIL OF THEIR OWN PRODUCTION.
The extra virgin olive oil of the Tuscan Maremma owes its success mainly to the characteristics of the territory where it is grown, but also to the environmental difficulties that make the mechanization of the olive harvest very difficult, thus favoring hand picking. In addition to these aspects, adverse weather conditions are added, such as frequent winter frosts, which inevitably lead to an almost obsessive (and decidedly expensive) care of the olive groves by farmers, agricultural companies and small farmers. The quality of Maremma and Tuscan oil is also advantaged by the early harvesting of the olives and their short storage, in order to speed up the low temperature processing process. The result is a very high quality extra virgin olive oil, with a pleasant taste and very low acidity levels, ideal for use raw on foods, healthy for the balance of diets (especially Mediterranean) and extremely digestible.
- Read also: Wine Roads – The Maremma food and wine routes where you can appreciate good wine and quality olive oil.
