The world of oil does not stop in front of the Coronavirus. Fausto Borella founder of the Maestrod'olio Academy which for eight years has been awarding national awards to the excellent productions of the season with the Terre d'Olio Award, unable to hold the national event in Florence, in compliance with government provisions, decided to proceed anyway to the award ceremony by organizing an online ceremony in connection with all interested companies.
"Never before - said Borella, presenting the oils included in the Guide this year - is it important to make known a product of excellence such as this very noble condiment that needs to be known, because it is not yet as well known as it should, but above all now as it never has to be bought.
Nature last year was a bit fierce against olive growers because, for example, in northern Italy we had a 90% decrease, conversely in central Italy and especially in the south, olive growers managed to do a great job. In our guide we have put all the references and the invitation is to contact them to share this moment with them. The producers increase more and more, they get better and better, we have to make them understand that we appreciate the work they are doing. From now on it will always be like this and when we leave we will be stronger and stronger but now we need to lend a hand to olive growing”.
Meanwhile, the first novelty of this year is that the Terre d'Olio Guide is printed in two versions, in Italian and in English "The Land of olive Oil 2020", to promote the quality made in Italy product increasingly on foreign markets . It brings together the best of the national olive oil panorama, with 128 companies present and 256 selected oils. Two pages are dedicated to each reality, in which, in addition to the description of the activity and its products, the surrounding area is told, with advice on places to visit and food and wine-themed purchases to make. Furthermore, a nice local recipe, suggested by the producers and to be made at home, in which extra virgin olive oil is obviously the absolute protagonist.
And like any self-respecting sector guide, prizes cannot be missing: the 26 new Maestrod'Olio Crowns. The coveted awards were assigned this year to 22 producers who, during the last oil campaign, particularly distinguished themselves for the quality of their extra virgin olive oil. The most represented regions are Tuscany, with 5 awarded companies, Lazio, with 4, then Puglia and Umbria, both with 3 awards; followed by Sardinia and Calabria (2) and finally Abruzzo, Campania and Sicily.
There are also four special prizes. two of these are new, namely that of Oleologist of the Year, assigned to Luca Mencaglia, production and quality manager and oil technical consultant of important companies at national level and that of Personality of the Year, given to Giuseppe Mazzocolin of the Fèlsina company . The Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence, on the other hand, won the Giancarlo Bini Recognition (first sommelier of Italian oil, who had the courage to select as many as 2000 oils in his trolley in the Ombrone restaurant in Grosseto since the 107s). Chef Marco Stabile, from another Florentine restaurant, Ora d'Aria, was finally awarded the Sauro Brunicardi Recognition (lamented Lucchese avant-garde chef on the subject of extra virgin olive oil).
The Maestrod'Olio Crowns 2020
Abruzzo. Tommaso Masciantonio Monocultivar Intosso
Calabria. Az. Agr. Renzo brothers. OrOlio Limited Edition
Calabria. Az. Agr. Garzo sisters. Dolciterre Monocultivar Ottobratica
Campania. Ambrosio Farm. Crux oil
Lazio. Mario Camerota. Mamurran oil
Lazio. Az. Agr. Alfred Cetrone. Cetron oil In
Lazio, Az Agr. Ione Zobbi Strong & Exalted Oil
Lazio. Good Francesca. Traldi Athos oil
Puglia. Intini oil. Monocultivar Coratina
Puglia. Italian Harmonies – Masseria Faraona. Coratina oil
Puglia. Sabinus Leo. La Patraun oil
Sardinia. The Lily Farmhouse. TresLizos oil
Sardinia. Oil Academy. Reserve Oil of the Producer Dop Sardegna Fruity Green
Sicily. Galioto mill. Moresca monocultivar
Tuscany. Ramerino farm. Monocultivar Frantoio
Tuscany. Maiano farm. Laudemio oil
Tuscany. Az. Agr. Giacomo Grassi. Oil The Dream of Pinzimonio
Tuscany. Az. Agr. Talente. Tuscan Cassiano PGI Oil
Tuscany. SS Agricola scovaventi. Ostro oil
Umbria. Az, Agr. Julius Mannelli. Monocultivar d'Ascolana
Umbria. Tenths. Emotion oil
Umbria. Marfuga. Marfuga Riserva DOP Umbria Colli Assisi oil
International Prizes
Recognition Giancarlo Bini: Restaurant Enoteca Pinchiorri. Florence
Recognition Sauro Brunicardi: Chef Marco Stabile of the Ora d'Aria Restaurant. Florence
Character of the Year: Giuseppe Mazzocolin Fèlsina
Oleologist of the Year: Luca Mencaglia
Companies that have successfully entered the 2020 Terred'Olio Guide
Abruzzo
• Tommaso Masciantonio
• Alessandro Mancini farm
• Miani Farm of D'Amico Patrizia
• Marina Palusci Farm
Basilicata
• Vincenzo Marvulli Farm
• Porsia Farm
• Fountain of the Saints
• Hannibal's Oaks Farm
Calabria
• Clelia Iemma farm
• The Treasures of the Sun – De Lorenzo
• Press oil mill
• Candiano Antonella farm
• Fratelli Renzo Farm
• Labonia estate
• Loria estates
• Deliba | Fratelli Cosmano farm
• San Giorgio oil mill
• Sorelle Garzo farm
Campania
• High Houses
• Nutile oil mill 1911
• Roman oil mill
• Titerno olive farm
• The Archangel
• Turret oil
• Pietrabianca oil mill
• Ambrosio Farm
• Madonna dell'Olivo
Lazio
• Mario Camerota
• Cosmo di Russo farm
• Alfredo Cetrone Farm
• Villa Pontina
• Fiorano Estate
• Cappelli Farm
• Ione Zobbi Farm
• Poggio Narnara Farm
• Sant'Agostino Estate
• Pierluigi Presciuttini
• Sciuga Agricultural Society
• Good Francesca
Ligirl
• Paolo Cassini
• Pedro oil
Marche
• Montecappone
• Gregori olives
• Source lame
• La Collina delle Fate agricultural society
Molise
• Agricultural Technical Institute of Larino
• Via dei smugglers association
• Sacred land
Puglia
• Intini oil
• De Carlo oil
• Italian harmonies – Masseria Faraona
• Scisci farm
• Conte Spagnoletti Zeuli Agricultural Company
• The Three Bell Towers
• Galantino mill
• Sabinus Leo
• Pietrasanta farm
• Moccari
• Holy oil
• Soloil
• Ferrara Brothers
• A.DA.R. Agricultural Cooperative Society
• Pope Edward of Rodogallo
Sardinia
• Corte Olìas
• Il Giglio Agriturismo
• Olive Oil Academy
• Piras Francesco Farm
Sicilia
• Salamone Farm
• Francesca Tumino
• Virzì Agricultural Company
• Estate of the Duke
• Cat mill
• Cutrera mills
• Agrestis
• Tenuta del Pettirosso
• Galioto mill
• Centonze Farm
• Turnaturi Carmela Farm
• Gaudioso Farm
• Olivoil
Toscana
• Fonte Veneziana farm
• Ramerino farm
• Buonamici Farm
• Maiano farm
• Matrix
• Giacomo Grassi Farm
• Altomena farm
• Talente Farm
• La Ranocchiaia
• Clivio degli Ulivi
• Santella Oil Company
•Kali
• Collemassari
• The Pietraia
• La Maliosa farm
• Scovaventi SS Agricola
• Guastini Eleonora Farm
• LeoVerde
• Podere Le Mezzelune
• Podere Arduini
• Fubbiano farm
• The Badiola
• Belvedere farm
• Villa Santo Stefano
• Renzo Baldaccini
• Maria Theresa estate
• Marini Farm
• Bellandi Farm
• Podere La Costa
• Fèlsina
• Buoni or Del Buono Maria Pia farm
• Fattoria del Biancheto oil mill
• Il Poggione estate
Umbria
• Centumbria
• Giulio Mannelli farm
• Mariottini Farm
• Tenths
• Sidoro Farm
• Marfuga
• Salmareggi estates
• Agricadd
• Locci farm
• Silvestri oil mill
• MyITALY
• Lungarotti
• Pelagrilli Farm
