TUSCAN OLIVE VARIETIES

Tuscan oil tends to taste more peppery, pungent, and green than other olive oils due to its relatively high polyphenol level. To harvest in advance of winter freezes, Tuscan farmers pick their crops earlier than farmers from other regions in Italy, when the fruit is still a mix of green and purple. This practice of early harvest yields a more pungent oil.

At McEvoy Ranch, our harvest generally spans mid-November to mid-December to create an oil with this classic Tuscan flavor profile. The ranch orchards consist of Frantoio, Leccino, Moraiolo, Pendolino, Maurino, Leccio del Corno and Coratina trees.

Some examples of Tuscan oil blends follow. The non-Tuscan addition of Puglia’s Coratina variety is added for pungency.

TRADITIONAL BLEND

35% Frantoio
35% Moraiolo
20% Leccino
5% Coratina
5% Pendolino and/or Maurino (for pollination)

SLIGHTLY MORE PEPPERY BLEND

40% Frantoio
40% Moraiolo
10% Coratina
5% Leccino
5% Pendolino and/or Maurino (for pollination)

SLIGHTLY MILDER BLEND

20% Frantoio
20% Moraiolo
50% Leccino
10% Pendolino and/or Maurino (for pollination)