| Novo Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Max Osteria di Casa Chianti Selection This is a very nice time of the year for me, because in addition to enjoying the beautiful colors of the Tuscan countryside we find a product that I love so much: theNew Harvest Novo Oil. What characteristics should the Olio Novo have? How many times have you heard: "fruity olive oil", "bitter extra virgin olive oil", "olive oil that tingles in the throat", etc.? These are all characteristics of extra virgin olive oil that can take on depending on the type of processing, quality and variety of olives. Every extra virgin olive oil has its own flavor and a particular intensity of taste. In addition to this, there are olfactory notes and gustatory hints that recall the fruitiness of green olives and other fragrances such as: fresh grass, freshly cut fields, apples, bananas, fresh almonds, artichokes or even tomato stalks, etc. But what do these scents and aromas depend on? The first answer is to be found in the variety of olives from which the oil is extracted. We must distinguish two types of olive oil: the monocultivar or monovarietal, and the blend Olio Monocultivar This variety contains 100% of the same type of olive. Usually the cultivar represents the territory that generated it, for this reason monocultivar oil is unique and has a strong personality. The same variety of olives, cultivated in another territory, will produce an oil with a different taste. The place of production, in fact, is very important because it encloses a set of unique characteristics, such as: climate, soil, altitude etc.. Monocultivar oil has an intense, explosive and classic flavor, a typical expression of the territory. Blend Oil or commonly called Oil of Mixed Olives Blend oil derives from more cultivars, that is from the union of more varieties of olives. Generally the cultivars are harvested separately and then tests are done to find the right compromise that allows to obtain a fragrant and balanced oil, both in the nose and in the mouth. High quality companies generally declare exactly the percentages of cultivars. Blend oil has a more multifaceted, balanced and less intense flavor. The blend is made to balance the flavors and make it closer to the consumers' taste.. In Italy most oils are made by blending different varieties of olives, hence the term Blend to allude to the technique of assembling and mixing. Only a small percentage is monocultivar oil, for this reason monovarietal oil is considered rare and valuable with an unmistakable taste capable of enhancing every dish. Characteristics and Flavors of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting olive oil is the most important moment in determining the taste of extra virgin olive oil. Bitter and spicy extra virgin olive oil is often perceived by consumers in a negative way, however, if during the tasting, bitter, spicy, fruity and a full bodied sensation prevail, it is surely a real extra virgin olive oil. The bitter and spicy characteristics are due to the presence of polyphenols in the oil. These natural antioxidants are primarily responsible for the infinite properties of olives. The more bitter and spicy an oil is, the richer it will be in polyphenols but these two flavors depend on three aspects: The maturation of olives: The more the olives are picked ripe, the sweeter the oil will be. On the contrary, the harvesting of unripe olives determines a more pronounced bitter taste. Cold Extraction: only this type of milling allows to preserve intact all the polyphenols contained in olives Varieties of olives: obviously some varieties have a higher polyphenolic content than others. Flavors of extra virgin olive oil Which are positive characteristics of a good oil and which determine a poor quality oil ? Extra virgin olive oil flavor: positive characteristics Bitter: As we said it is a flavor present in cold extraction, in certain varieties of olives and according to the time of harvesting. Generally it is combined with pungency and can be more or less intense but the important thing is that it is balanced. Spicy: Taste sensation of a hot chili pepper, very pleasing, of medium persistence and balanced with the other flavors. Sweet: An oil having a more delicate taste, without bitter or spicy notes, and generally scarcely aromatic Herbaceous: flavor reminiscent of freshly mowed grass. Floreale: gustatory note reminiscent of the scent of flowers. Fruity: olfactory note which recalls the smell of ripe fruit, green apple and green olives. Woody: scent that recalls the smell of the forest and freshly cut wood. Almond Cake: Sweet aftertaste reminiscent of the scent of toasted almond. Tomato: smell and taste of green tomato and tomato leaf Vegetable: the taste and the smell are reminiscent of aromatic herbs with an aftertaste of artichoke. Main negative attributes of an olive oil Some oils will present undesirable aromas and flavors. Technically, when at least one of these is present, the oil should be automatically downgraded from its status of extra virgin. Let's not forget that olive oil is a flavor enhancer, so its flavors and fragrances will transfer to dishes. Here, then, are the flaws that are sometimes found in olive oils. Rancid: The oil has an almost neutral or tasteless greasy taste reminiscent of wax crayons. It means that the oil has oxidized due to excessive exposure to air or significant temperature changes that have accelerated its degradation. Vinous: An unpleasant odor/taste can be detected which vaguely recalls a solvent, vinegar, enamel or even acetone. The cause is due, almost certainly, to the presence of olives that have been kept too long before being pressed. This taste is the result of the fermentation of the olives with oxygen. Powdery: When the oil has an odor or taste of olive pate, very ripe olives or even rotting olives, the olives used to make that oil may have been stored for a few days before extraction. Olives left to rest, even for a few days, immediately begin to ferment producing stale olive oil. Mold: the oil has an odor, or taste, of damp earth, mud or moisture. These are defects found in oils whose olives have been attacked by mold or yeast during storage. In other cases, it occurs when olives are harvested and stored on the ground rather than in the recommended containers. Tamia: organic extra virgin olive oil monocultivar Selection of New Olive Oil Osteria di Casa Chianti The extra virgin olive oil that I selected for Osteria di Casa Chianti is an excellent oil to be used every day on our table. It is obtained from a cold pressing below 26 degrees. The variety is a mixed variety including olives Moraiolo, Leccino, Gramignolo, Frantoio, Trantolo, Pendolino e Maurino that give and identify the typical Italian and Tuscan oil. What format can I buy? The oil Novo Extra Virgin Olive Oil Selection Osteria di Casa Chianti is sold in 5L cans, This is to facilitate easy storage within your home. The only advice I can give you is to store it away from heat sources. |
