From the Minucciola olive tree to the Oil: the production phases of the Arcangelo Oil

The Ogliarola and Minucciola cultivars represent 65% of the olive trees of the Sorrento Peninsula, where the Arcangelo oil stands out as one of the oils of greatest interest among the DOP products.

Most of the olive groves located on the Sorrento Peninsula are located on bold terraces that slope down towards the sea. The Municipalities affected by the Protected Designation of Origin are 13, all located between the Lattari Mountains and the Peninsula.

Among these, a central position belongs to Vico Equense where the Russo family has been producing for three generations, an oil obtained by pressing only Minucciola olives: the Arcangelo

The production process

Given the complexity of the bottoms, the care and collection of the olives represents a delicate operation and for which mechanical means such as shakers to the trunk are not allowed. The entire harvest is done by hand, with the help of shoulder shakers to facilitate the detachment of the crown olives.

Once the olives have fallen onto the nets, they are immediately collected and placed in agricultural crates with which they reach the mill within 12 hours of collection. The milling is carried out daily for each load of harvest, so that the fermentation of the olive, determined by the natural detachment and fall on the net, and consequently, does not corrupt the organoleptic properties of the oil.

The milling is carried out at low temperatures, a measure that reduces the yield ratio of the olives, but increases the overall quality of the product, which thus maintains the organoleptic characteristics typical of the cultivar.

Promotion and enhancement of the Peninsula of Sorrento DOP oil

The Arcangelo extra virgin olive oil therefore is located on the Italian market as a product with a reduced total volumetric impact but, precisely by virtue of its territorial origin, represents one of the important products of Campania excellence.

Our oil resides in a space in a market of quality that favors, promotes and enhances the indigenous regional productions.