Inside the Olive Grove: A behind the scenes look at our extra virgin olive oil production
The Story of Our “Green Gold”
At Palazzo di Varignana, the journey of our Italian extra virgin olive oil begins long before the first drop touches the bottle. Each year we embark on a journey in producing a truly exceptional extra virgin olive oil, that takes shape on our estate, in Varignana just outside of Bologna. From careful tending of our olive trees to the moment the olives are harvested and pressed, every step is guided with sustainable practices and a deep commitment to quality. We invite you to a behind the scenes to discover our olive-oil’s life cycle and see how we transform regenerated land into liquid gold.
Regenerative Land and Ancient Olive Varieties
Our story begins with the land. The Palazzo di Varignana estate spans 655 acres of regenerative farmland, where we are committed to returning vitality and biodiversity to the hills of Emilia-Romagna. We follow a comprehensive plan of action designed not only to produce sustainably and minimize our impact on the climate, but to actively farm in ways that regenerate the soil and bring new life to the land.
One of the ways in which we give back to the land is by planting and maintaining olive groves on previously degraded land. Before the birth of Palazzo di Varignana, much of this land lay barren, but we have carefully and patiently brought it back to life. This ensures that, rather than simply sustaining the status quo, we are actively restoring the ecosystem. A key example of this is our work to preserve ancient local olive varieties that might otherwise have disappeared. Our Ghiacciola cultivar, once at risk due to climate change, is now cultivated each year to keep this historic variety alive. By cultivating these indigenous varieties, we enrich the flavour, character, and terroir of our extra virgin olive oil while contributing to the preservation of the landscape.
The combination of diverse varieties, healthy soils and careful cultivation means the olives we harvest are of superior quality. That in turn feeds into the pressing and bottling stages, so that our Italian olive oil brings you rich flavour plus the good-for-you benefits of polyphenols and antioxidants.
Sustainable Harvesting & Pressing
Once our olive groves are ready, the next stage is harvesting and pressing. Throughout this process, we maintain sustainable practices that protect both the health of our plants and the integrity of the fruit. We combine mechanical harvesting with traditional hand-picking methods, allowing us to treat each tree with care while minimizing energy use and soil disturbance. Our low-emission agricultural techniques and innovative equipment help us reduce our environmental footprint while preserving the natural balance of the land.
Timing is essential. For certain varieties, olives are harvested while still green to retain their vibrant aroma and the powerful, health-boosting compounds that define a truly premium oil. Picking at just the right moment when the fruit’s balance of ripeness and acidity is perfect ensures that the oil captures the full expression of its flavor profile.
Then comes pressing. Within just six hours of harvest, the olives are brought to our mill to prevent any degradation of their quality. By minimizing the time from tree to press, we preserve the oil’s flavour, freshness, and antioxidant properties. In the mill, energy-efficient machinery, cold-extraction methods, and strict quality controls ensure that each batch meets the highest standards of Italian extra virgin olive oil. By combining thoughtful harvesting techniques with precise pressing, we create an olive oil that is not only rich in taste but also genuinely healthy making it good for you, and good for the planet.
Bottling Our Olive Oil
Once our olives have been carefully pressed the next step, bottling, is the moment when every decision in the groves and the mill finds its culmination. Every detail, from the materials we use to the design and closure of each container, is made to preserve the purity, flavour, and health benefits of our Italian extra virgin olive oil.
In Italy, bottling olive oil is a matter of both tradition and rigor. Producers must comply with national legislation which lays down provisions for the quality and transparency of the virgin olive-oil supply chain. We use bottles designed to protect the oil from its greatest enemies, light and oxygen, which ensures that every pour has the same taste and quality as the very first drop. Our materials are selected for both quality and environmental responsibility, balancing refined aesthetics with practical protection.
We’ve also re-imagined olive-oil storage with our Bag in Box, an innovative form of packaging that offers exceptional performance in preservation. The Bag in Box uses eco-friendly materials and a sealed inner bag that prevents light- and oxygen-induced degradation, thereby extending freshness and safeguarding the oil’s nutritional and sensory properties over time. This format not only reinforces our commitment to quality but also aligns with our values of responsible production and intelligent design.
Why Sustainability Makes a Difference and Why It Should Matter to You
By following a regenerative approach, we keep the land fertile, resilient, and capable of producing premium olives for generations to come. Preserving ancient olive varieties safeguards biodiversity and helps prevent the risks of monoculture, while also giving our oils the distinctive flavor profiles that express the true character of Italian terroir. Our sustainable harvesting and pressing methods protect the delicate compounds, like polyphenols and antioxidants, that make olive oil deeply beneficial for health. And through transparent practices, we give our customers complete confidence in what they’re choosing: an olive oil rooted in authenticity, wellness, and tradition.
