An extra virgin olive oil from Abruzzo, made from blending oils of five olive cultivars, including the widely acclaimed Dritta. A soft oil, full of fruity attributes that give it body and personality. Versatile, with a great quality-price ratio and excellent dressing efficiency, it bears the signature of Fattoria del Torquato

In Italy, and more precisely in the countryside surrounding Nesente Valpantena, near Verona, the feather in the cap of this ancient oil-making family is an extra virgin oil of which only very few bottles are made, because it is produced from a variety of olives growing only in a very limited territory. A unique and truly-deserving sensory experience.

Imperialis is the oil that stole the limelight at the 2017 Le Forme dell'Olio Award. Its producers are the Bichiou family from Hammamet, who sell it under the Tanit Mediterraneum brand. We were pleasantly surprised by its taste. An extra virgin olive oil both powerful and elegant, made from Chemlali and Chetoui olives

This is the name, youthful and jaunty, that Frantoiani del Vùlture has given to its Vùlture PDO extra virgin olive oil. A special gourmet edition of this oil is also available. Its birthplace is on a group of hills of volcanic origin found in Basilicata, a small region in southern Italy

Not all extra virgin oils made from Coratina olives can be placed at the same level. Corona delle Puglie, made by Covan, an olive mill in Andria producing Terra di Bari – Castel del Monte PDO oils, is the proof that single-varietal oils obtained from the most renowned and popular olive cultivar grown in Italy can be strikingly different and original. Here are three oils with different degrees of fruitiness

At an oil tasting session during the 2016 Olio Officina Festival, we were very favourably impressed by Sagra Oro, a low-acidity extra virgin olive oil. This sapid, harmonious and very palatable oil is extremely versatile, has all the bearings of a great personality, as well as a delightful balance of bitterness and pungency

Its name is Selezione Oro (Gold Selection), and bears the signature of Luigi Santagata. Selezione Oro is one of the extra virgin oils produced by a company near Genoa that has been operating in this field since 1907. At the head of the enterprise are siblings Federico and Cristina, the fifth generation of an internationally acclaimed family of oil-makers.

Made from cooked grape must, Agresto is a sweet, dense vinegar, with a strong acidulous note. This sweet and sour condiment was known and used in Ancient Rome and it continued to be popular in Medieval times. In all of those territories where grapes were grown, it was used to flavor meats and vegetables or as the main ingredient in more elaborate sauces

Italian oils. Made from Bosana and Semidana olives, Domenico and Pasquale Manca’s “San Giuliano” Sardinia PDO oil is one of the best examples of the extra virgin oils produced on this island

This is an oil that bears the hallmark of its place of origin, namely Montalbano, in Tuscany. It is made with the greatest care, and deserves to be tasted raw, drizzled over a variety of dishes, although it is also ideal for cooking

This extra virgin olive oil, produced in northern Italy, in the environs of Lake Garda, bears traces of an illustrious past

The Buonamici family has a farm in Fiesole, Tuscany, on the hills surrounding Florence. Their mission is to achieve quality, and the result of their work is an extra virgin olive oil with a high content of natural antioxidants and vitamin E

The bottle is wrapped in gold foil, so as to protect the oil inside. This is typical of many oil companies in Liguria. In this case we have an extra virgin oil made by Ranieri, an ancient olive mill in Chiusanico, near Imperia

In Italy, in the Sicilian town of Noto, Felice Modica, owner of the Bufalefi olive mill, produces an oil from local cultivars that though not overly popular, give rise to a product of extraordinary quality.

“Il Roccolo”, a Garda PDO oil produced by Andrea Bertazzi, has a light fruity flavour that reveals its composition, a blend of Casaliva, Leccino, Pendolino and Moraiolo olives.