L’Olio del Colle
Colle San Vitale couldn't exist without... the Colle, the Hill itself. A History thousands of years long, beginning on the Kassar plateau, passing through the first session of the Sicilian Parliament, and reaching the present day. The common thread? Olives—and the Oil we dedicate to them.
The Olive of San Vitale
The History of Castronovo di Sicilia is interwoven with that of Sicily as a whole, its countless rulers, and the skill of the artisans and farmers who, over the years, made the products of the Sicani Mountains great.
All of our land's tradition revolves around Colle San Vitale. At its foot stood the Rabat, one of the two villages from which the Castronovo we know today arose, and on the Colle stood the Norman keep that towered over the entire surrounding area.
The most fascinating story about the Colle, though, has to do with its name and with olive trees. Legend has it that a master carpenter saw Saint Vitalis, a Christian monk born in Castronovo, in a dream, telling him to travel to a particular district and obtain the wood of a centuries-old olive tree to carve a statue in his honor. When he spoke with the owner of the land where the tree stood, the two discovered they had both had the very same dream and the man decided to donate the tree. From this legend, the district took the name "Oliva di San Vitale" (the Olive of Saint Vitalis), the Colle was named after the saint, and our first Oil was dedicated to the Colle.
L’olio del colle
the tradition
available in bottles from 8.5 to 25.4 fl oz (0.25 to 0.75 L) and in 5 liter tins
2021
Le caratteristiche dell’Olio del Colle
Made from select olives of the Nocellara and Biancolilla varieties
L’Olio del Colle has an acidity level below 0.3% and powerful antioxidant properties, thanks to its high content of vitamin E and polyphenols.
Nocellara is one of the most prized of all native Sicilian cultivars and one of Italy's finest table olive varieties. The fruit is round, weighing 5 to 7 grams, and the resulting Oil has a higher smoke point than other types of oil.
Biancolilla is one of the oldest native Sicilian olive varieties, especially widespread in central and eastern Sicily. The Oil it yields rich in flavor and ideal for harmonizing the taste and fruitiness of oils from other pressings.
Our olive trees grow in a highly variable Mediterranean climate, marked by long, hot summers, mild and rainy winters, and unpredictable in-between seasons.
Fairly scarce rainfall, averaging less than 24 inches (600 mm) per year, makes for a predominantly dry climate and demands
all of our growers' experience to keep the soil fertile and ideal..
Colle San Vitale's groves, however, lie near the banks of the Platani River, which allows the vegetation to grow especially lush and rich in native species.
The groves' hillside location also favors winter snowfall, ideal for natural pest control and for keeping the trees lush and thriving.
A harmonious green-olive fruitiness, distinguished by aromas of artichoke and tomato typical of the production area, followed by hints of apple and fresh-cut grass. Bold, balanced, and elegant on the palate.
Rich on the palate, with well-balanced notes of bitterness and spice.
Tanit's balanced, full body makes it ideal both raw—drizzled over hearty soups, vegetables, and salads—and cooked, alongside roasts and fried dishes, whether meat or fish.
Our chefs' recommendations
1
Sweet-and-sour Frittedda with fava beans, peas, and artichokes, finished with onion, black pepper, and Olio del Colle EVOO.
2
Castronovo style Cuddureddi flour and water rings kneaded with Olio del Colle EVOO and oven-baked.
3
Pane cunzatu - Sicilian dressed bread with fresh primo sale cheese, ripe tomatoes, anchovies, oregano, black pepper, and Olio del Colle EVOO.
