Here in the South, the arrival of new olive oil brings joy to everyone, like a return to our truest, most authentic selves. It’s a moment to reconnect with our memories and roots, while also marking the end of another year.
It’s not just about how good the olives are or how generous the harvest has been… it’s about an ancient knowledge passed down through generations, the care, and the love we put in every day to nurture our fruits and protect our land.
This tradition involves everyone, even those far away—children at university, the aunt who emigrated years ago… Everyone asks about the olive oil and makes sure to reserve their share because it’s something they all hold close to their hearts.
It’s a tradition that repeats itself with the same excitement every year. The discussion about olive oil starts well before the harvest season—already in summer, predictions are made, and the olive trees are carefully tended to, protecting them from pests and unfavorable weather. By late October, the harvest begins… and that’s when the magic happens. The countryside comes to life, filled with contagious joy, lively chatter, and the sounds of work. Neighbors exchange advice, opinions, and observations, estimating yields and assessing the season’s progress in an atmosphere that is both relaxed and full of anticipation.
Arrivati con le proprie casse stracolme di olive in frantoio, si inizia la macinatura. Il tempo di attesa deve essere brevissimo, e tutto si svolge velocemente. Il frantoio allora è un andirivieni di persone, contadini e familiari. Diventa un centro di aggregazione, un punto di ritrovo per diverse generazioni, dove si intrecciano storie, si carpiscono i segreti dei nonni, ci si scambia storie e tradizioni, si ricordano i tempi passati e si fanno previsioni per il futuro per ingannare l’attesa mentre si aspetta il proprio turno.
Everyone follows their own milling schedule, which can be set at any time… even at two in the morning. But that doesn’t matter—what truly counts is that it’s done right.
They carefully follow each step of the process, one by one: the olives are weighed, loaded, washed, crushed, then kneaded by the malaxer, and finally, the separator extracts the oil, ready to be stored in stainless steel containers. Then the containers are sealed—because mixing them up would be unthinkable! Our olive oil is ours; it reflects who we are. It holds not just the roots and traditions of our grandparents but also the memories and work of a year that has been truly unique.
And even though each year is unique, with its sun, temperatures, rains, and moods, the taste of our olive oil—just like us—never changes. It remains always… simply Agrimare.
From 2022, I will surely remember the just-finished olive harvest! The summer was intense… sunny… hot… and the irrigation of our fields was managed wisely.
The olives were harvested just as they reached ripeness, not yet fully mature, medium to small in size… but a concentrated burst of flavor like no other.
The olive oil of Villa Agrimare isn’t just robust, delicate, or simply local… it’s more than that. It’s Gargano olive oil—a perfectly balanced oil infused with all our passion. A burst of fruity notes, with a slightly bitter touch at times, followed by a gentle spiciness that gives the oil its unmistakable, 100% Puglian essence. 🙂
