The olives are usually hand-picked in November when they are quite dark in colour.

Whoever passes through the area of Cortona during the harvesting period, between 15th November and 1st December, will see the ladders resting against the olive trees where the olives are being hand-picked.

After being harvested, the olives are taken to the olive mill, where they are pressed while they are still fresh.

The term "frangitura" comes from "Frangere" to press or crush, which is also where the name"Frantoio" or olive mill comes from: in this phase the pulp and the stones from the olives are pressed under enormous millstones which turn inside a tube.
The grinding renders the olives into a homogeneous paste.
This operation consists of a prolonged grinding of the paste after pressing.
This enables the breaking down of water-oil emulsions formed during the pressing, and the union of drops of oil which become progressively larger and will allow them to be more easily separated from the water.
Next, the paste is squeezed, using the traditional cold-pressing method, between vegetable fibre discs for an hour applying ever-increasing pressure.
This causes a liquid to emerge made up of oil and water. The material between the discs, left over from the pressing, is called olive husk.
During the final part of the operation, the separation, the oily liquid is centrifuged to separate the oil from the water and other impurities.
From the tube of the centrifuge a yellowy green nectar emerges, ready to be bottled and consumed.
He equipment used in our old oil mill.
Though the equipment used may not be antique, we can guarantee the use of traditional methods throughout the oil-making process, therefore obtaining an organically produced, top quality olive oil with an old-fashioned flavour.

The high quality of our olive oil is due, not only to the traditional methods of production used and the use of trees indigenous to the area, but also to the position of the groves on cool hillsides which impede the olive-fly from attacking the plant. The trees used are: moraiolo toscano, frantoio, leccino.

The oil has a very low acid content (below 1%) and therefore produces a fruity flavour and a deep green oil which comes from the first pressing and has not been filtered. It should be kept at a constant temperature of 15%, also while the oil is being extracted, to avoid losing the natural properties and nutrients in the oil. It is very good especially when used uncooked.

The oil is certified, stipulating not only the acid content, but also other important elements, such as an organoleptic analysis regarding taste and smell, to determine, for example, if the oil is fresh or not, if it is pure or has been mixed with another oil.

Traditionally, one of the first things to be eaten with the new oil is "Bruschetta".
This is how to prepare it:
toast (preferably in front of a hot fire) a slice of crusty bread, rub it over with a clove of garlic, pour over a very good olive oil and finally sprinkle over a little salt.

Although Bruschetta, is very simple fare and easy to make, it shows off the olive oil at its best; for this reason there is nearly always a fireplace inside of an olive mill, so that the bruschetta can be made with the oil which has just been pressed.