The land on which olive trees grow must be fertilized according to the Protocol “D.O.P. Nocellara del Belice”, it needs to receive plant protection treatment and it has to be irrigated.
The olive harvest is done by hand (picking) between October and November at the latest. The harvested olives need to be preserved in such a way that the quality of the product is ensured at the moment of transformation.
The transport and storage of the olives in sacks of any material is prohibited according the protocol. The olives have to be stored in a cool and ventilated place until the stage of milling and they must be pressed within few hours after harvesting.
The Mechanical Extraction Systems
for the olive oil production must be conforming the requirements of the protocol in order to maintain the original quality of the olives. The mills to which the drupes are submitted must have suitable devices for washing and defoliation.
Once exfoliated and cleaned, the olives need to be spilled on the mill which serves to break the olives and separate the pits.
The next phase is called “kneading” in which the olive paste is refined to make it ready for the next stage of separation from the water. This subsequent phase is the most important because the olive oil will be separated from water through the difference in weight obtained by mechanical procedures consisting in centrifuges. A triple decanting process preserves the aroma, flavor and the organoleptic qualities.
After decanting process, the obtained olive oil needs to be stored in silos with nitrogen with the purpose not to affect the organoleptic features before being bottled.
Our Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the result of high quality cultivation and organic process that selects only the best olives.
It is prohibited by the Protocol to reuse the extracted olive paste.