Agridè, well-rounded and velvety

At the end of the Olio Officina Food Festival, I had the opportunity to taste Agridè, a Terra di Bari PDO extra virgin olive oil made in the Bitonto sub-region. Although it wasn’t the first time that I had tried it, it was a very enjoyable experience.

Indeed, after sampling Agridè at different times from production, I came to the conclusion that this is a surprising product for Puglia, which combines the propulsive energy of the Coratina cultivar, the oil of which is both bitter and pungent, and the softer touch of the Ogliarola olives, giving an overall sensation of a well-rounded oil, velvety and harmonious to the palate.

The impression is good, captivating. Very agreeable. It proves that the common bias regarding oils made from Coratina olives, namely that they lack balance, is completely wrong. It is the art of blending that makes all the difference. The combination of the various elements reveals the producer’s ability to understand each batch of oil made in the oil mill.

The Ogliarola-Coratina duo is a classic, but not all oils possess the same elegance, personality, finesse and energy. The pungent note is pleasant, as is the bitter one: it is clearly perceived, but its presence has a certain grace, and does not disturb. The flavour is fruity, with notes of artichoke and the more typical ones of almond; bitterness and pungency become progressively more evident, leaving a clean, pleasant sensation in the mouth. Finally, the aroma of fresh cut grass returns, first detected when smelling the oil. The colour is the typical golden yellow of the oils produced in this region, but has a greenish tint that makes it more pleasing to the eye.

The oil comes from organic olive orchards. The company has its headquarters in Bitonto, a town in Puglia, south-eastern Italy.

Luigi Caricato