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OLIVEPRESTIGE

Puglia, Tuscany, Sicily, Liguria

Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Italian extra virgin olive oil is not one style but several, because Italy grows more than five hundred cultivars across a country that spans Alpine foothills to North African latitudes. Puglia gives powerful Coratina; Tuscany gives green, artichoke-scented blends of Frantoio, Moraiolo and Leccino; Sicily gives Nocellara and Biancolilla with tomato and herb; Liguria gives soft, almond-sweet Taggiasca. The important distinction on a US shelf is between oil grown in Italy and oil merely bottled there, which the back label will tell you.

Bottles in this selection

Reading an Italian label

"Prodotto in Italia" or "100% Italiano" indicates Italian-grown fruit. "Confezionato in Italia" means packed in Italy from oils that may come from anywhere. PDO and PGI marks — Toscano IGP, Terra di Bari DOP, Val di Mazara DOP — tie the oil to a defined zone.

Matching region to dish

Coratina for bean soups, grilled meat and robust greens. Tuscan blends for bruschetta and steak. Taggiasca for fish, pesto and delicate vegetables. Sicilian oils for tomatoes and caponata.

Frequently asked questions

Is Italian olive oil the best?
No country holds a monopoly on quality. Italy offers exceptional cultivar diversity, but harvest timing and freshness matter more than the flag on the label.
What does 'bottled in Italy' mean?
That the oil was packed in Italy. The olives may have been grown elsewhere; the back label lists the actual origin countries.

Read before you buy

All olive oil guides

Related selections

Coratina Olive OilGreek Extra Virgin Olive OilSpanish Extra Virgin Olive OilSingle-Estate Olive Oil

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