The extra virgin olive oil at the base of each dish has an exceptional culinary and nutraceutical, but also economic and cultural value. It is able to enhance or penalize the taste of each course, from a simple bruschetta to more complex dishes. For some time the consumer has developed the need to have an adequate culture that allows him to know and recognize the different products and increasingly evaluate their correct use on the table. Italian Gambero Rosso oils precisely this objective is proposed, a guide that accompanies the consumer in the discovery of a fascinating but very complex world.
More than 1000 oils have been evaluated by the 2020 Guide, of which 30% have not passed the initial selections, a sign of high inexperience in the sector. And this is an element that lets you understand how far there is still to go in a sector like that of EVO oils which has great potential for expansion, but on quality. In the end, 448 companies and 750 labels 2019-2020 have been included in the guide, created in collaboration with Unaprol: 161 won the Three Leaves, 450 the Two Leaves and 28 the Special Prizes (plus 6 companies that have obtained the Star).
Furthermore, to support the international promotion of companies and products, the fact sheets of the companies and oils are also translated into English (the first was published last year). Another novelty: starting this year, in the Oli d'Italia guide all the producers who have received the maximum recognition of the Three Leaves for 10 years are reported with the coveted Star, as in the Vini d'Italia guide.
The South is confirmed as the real winner: Puglia and Calabria on the podium, in terms of quantity production and awards; good productions also in Umbria and Tuscany, which have received various Special awards; as well as Abruzzo and Lazio, more for quantity and qualitative growth, especially in the Caninese area, the Tuscia Viterbese; Sicily did well even if it did not maintain a very high widespread quality, so much so that more than the average of the labels it was rejected by the various tasting commissions not considered suitable for the guide.
For the North, on the other hand, the oil year was rather difficult, due to the particular adverse climatic conditions, the result of which was a generalized drop in production, around 80% compared to the previous year.
The ten years of Gambero Rosso's Guida degli Oli mark an anniversary that falls in a particular moment, one of the most dramatic in history, in which cuisine and food products played a leading role in our lives during the lockdown. In 10 years, Italian extra virgin olive oil has made great strides in the growth of the sector, both in terms of quantity and quality. Furthermore, a good extra virgin olive oil can be considered a natural drug, antioxidant and anticancer, thanks to the high content of unsaturated fats, oleic and lonoleic acids, polyphenols and vitamins.
“The products selected in this publication confirm the very high quality and constant improvement of the Italian Evo – he commented Paolo Cuccia, President of Gambero Rosso – we are convinced that the future of the green gold of our peninsula, unique in the world for organoleptic characteristics and production complexity, consists in communication and promotion in order to improve prices and margins. We will continue to work alongside the producers to make this happen".
Below is the list of Special Awards
The stars
Domenico Ruffino Finale Ligure (SV); Tenuta Pennita Castrocaro Terme and Terra del Sole (FC); Frantoio Castel del Piano(GR); Viola Foligno (PG); Madonna of the olive tree Serre (SA); Mills Cutrera Chiaramonte Gulfi (RG).
Companies of the year
Marfuda Campello sul Clitunno (PG); Cutrera mills.
Crusher of the year
Americo Quattrociocchi Alatri (FR); The Three Columns Giovinazzo (BA).
Olive grower of the year
Dominic Ruffino; Gaudenzi Trevi oil mill (PG).
Best Light fruity
Frantoiani del Vulture/Vù/ Monocultivar Peranzana Venosa (PZ); Barranca/ La Badessa BIO/ Monocultival Carolea Siderno (RC).
Best Medium fruity
Ancient Muraglia oil mill/Cru Tenuta Macchia di Rose/Monocultivar Coratina/ Andria (BT); Tenuta Masciangelo/Maria Francavilla al Mare (CH).
Best Intense fruity
Ambriosio Farm/Salento Reserve (SA); Donato Conserva/Mimì/Monocultivar Coratina Modugno (BA).
Best Organic
Prnuti/Monocultivar Leccino BIO Greve in Chianti (FI); Masoni Becciu/Black Monocultivar of Villacidro BIO Villacidro (SU).
Best Monocultivar
Frantoio Franci/Villa Magra Gran Cru/Monocultivar Frantoio Castel del Piano (GR); Marco Rizzo/Talisman/Monocultivar Carpellese BIO Felitto (SA).
Best Blend
La Ranocchiaia/Selection Grandis BIO San Casciano in Val di Pesa (FI); Sorelle Garzo/Dolciterre So Seminara (RC).
Best DOP oil
De Carlo/Tenuta Arcamone Dop Terra di Bari/Monocultivar Coratina BIO Bitritto (BA); Laura De Parri Cerrosughero/PDO Canino Canino (VT).
Best IGP oil
Collemassari/IGP Toscano BIO Cinigiano (GR); Terraliva/Cherubino IGP Sicily/Monocultivar Tonda Iblea BIO Buccheri (SR).
Best quality / price ratio
Di Martino/Schinosa/Monocultivar Coratina Trani (BT); Giocodno/Salsedine San Vito Chietino (CH).
Novità dell'anno
Centumbrie Magione (PG); Agrielaia Pisticci (MT).
OIL&WINE Award
Recognition for wineries that are also involved in olive growing, with brilliant results: Frescobaldi Pontassieve (FI); San Salvatore 1988 Giungano (SA).
