AZIENDA AGRICOLA AVIGNONESI

Three estates under the management of one family contribute to this sweetly nutty extra-virgin olive oil from southern Tuscany.

The Falvo brothers took over Avignonesi in r«l»l«t 1974 and have spent the intervening years building up both the wines and the olive oil. The Le Capessine estate at Valiano near Montepulciano lies at the heart of the company. Surrounded by 100-year-old oak trees the buildings, including the frantoio or oil-mill, have been restored. There are a total of five acres of olive groves here.

I Pogetti, situated near Argiano, and La Selva at Cignano in Cortona add 12 further acres of olive groves. Correggiolo is the dominant olive variety, providing 80 per cent of the oil. The rest is made up of both Moraiolo (15 per cent) and Leccino (five per cent).

The fruit is picked by hand in November and then stoneground and hydraulically pressed. It is then stored in the dark in the traditional terracotta bowls of the region for three to four months to clear.

This olive oil has a light lemony apple aroma with a touch of almonds. The overall impression is gently sweet. It tastes equally smooth and sweet with a rich nutty flavour and a little chocolate. The pepper is very light.