Coleman Collection #33

PRODUCER

Olio Tamia

CULTIVAR

Leccino, Pendolino, Moraiolo

Harvest Date

October, 2023

REGION

Tuscia – Lazio, Italy

   Lazio produces exceptional oil from small-scale farmers, yet the region remains overshadowed on the international stage by Tuscany and Umbria. After years of poking around I was led to Pietro Re of Olio Tamia. His location in Tuscia three hundred meters above sea level, in the middle of Italy, in the center of the Mediterranean, sets the perfect scene to grow healthy olives. Its loose stratified soil absorbs and quickly releases rainfall, keeping the roots dry and vigorous. Pietro cleverly early harvests and cold extracts each evening in a three-phase Alfa Laval machine and utilizes propoli agricola – a byproduct of honeybees – to shield trees after shock of the harvest. The oil is then filtered and stored in stainless steel tanks under inert argon gas to preserve its volatile aromas and rich polyphenols.

   Lazio boasts unique cultivars, specifically the Raja, Bolsone, Itrana and Caninese, the latter originating from the town of Canino, thirty kilometers from Vetralla. However, The Pendolino is the famed pollinator of central Italian olive groves.  It is traditionally used in blends alongside Moraiolo, Frantoio and Leccino olives, which are harvested and pressed together based on the overall ripeness of the field.

   This October 2023 early harvest evoo is elegant and balanced with undertones of freshly ripped leaves, almond, and cinnamon, with pleasant bitterness and a delayed, elongated peppery finish.  The cause of this peppery sensation…considered an attribute of high-quality olive oil…is oleocanthal, a natural phenolic compound that has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.  Try pairing it with mushrooms, cheeses, soups, pastas, anchovies, grilled protein or seasonal vegetables.

   Lazio wines are known for their food applicability and easy-to-drink profiles. White wines are produced from a variety of grapes, most notably Trebbiano and Malvasia.  The wines are light, fresh, and dry – ideal for iconic regional dishes like Cacio e Pepe and Bucatini all’Amatriciana.  For red wines, try the local grape, Cesanese. It produces wines that are light to medium bodied with notes of freshly cracked pepper and bright red cranberry fruit flavors – akin to the more famous wines of the Rhone Valley from nearby France.