Are you looking for the best Italian olive oil brands? We’ve got you covered.
Olive oil is a liquid fat produced from pressed and extracted olive fruits. The Romans started growing and extracting these precious juices thousand of years ago. An amphorae of the earliest surviving olive oil dates to 3500 BC. However, it is assumed that olive oil production had started some 500 years earlier.
In Italian cuisine, olive oil is one of the key ingredients, constantly used for cooking or as a base condiment. Olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, is best for the body and acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory with Vitamins A and E.
Hundreds of thousands tons of olive oil are produced in 4470 olive oil mills in Italy, making it one of the top three olive oil producers in the world together with Spain and Greece.
Italy’s olive oil capital is Puglia, a southern peninsular region, which provides the country with around 40% of the total olive oil production. According to Statista, this region produces somewhere between 100,000 to over 200,000 tons of this oil annually. Calabria and Sicily, also in Southern Italy, are in second and third places, respectively.
Italian extra virgin olive oil provides a sweet foundation with fruity and intense notes. To select the finest olive oil brands, focus on those labeled “extra virgin,” as they are typically unrefined. Unrefined indicates that no additional chemicals are used during the extraction process.
10 Best Italian Olive Oil Brands
While there are thousands of olive oil producers in this blessed land, what we are looking for are the best brands to buy.
For years, these brands have been renowned for crafting exceptional oils. They meticulously handpick olives, subjecting them to scrutiny by specialists who assess the aromas, ranging from fruity scents to bitter and sharp notes. The result is a well-balanced taste that enhances the deliciousness of your pasta dishes on any occasion.
Let’s jump into our list of the best Italian olive oil brands you should buy when in Italy.
1. Gran Cru Villa Magra EVOO by Frantoio Franci
Frantoio Franci, an olive oil brand that won a total of 644 awards from 1996-2022, is absolutely the best Italian olive oil brand you can buy in Italy.
The brand started in 1958 in Montenero d’ Orcia in Tuscany by brothers Franco and Fernando Franci. In 1995, Fernando’s son Giorgio finally joined the family company. The rest is history.
The brand’s product has standard, super premium, and the Cru lines. Villa Magra Extra Virgin Oil is from the Cru line and is considered one of Franci’s best, and the best to buy when in Italy.
Production of this oil is only when the Frantoio olives cultivar harvest is best in its year. This way, the consumers are assured that it is only from the best. Its oil is filtered clear deep green, with aromas of almond and artichokes as well as minty and floral. The taste is ample sweet and a bit spicy, making it best for fresh fish. It can also be paired with cheese.
Frantoio Fanci’s Gran Cru Villa Magra EVOO is packaged in a slim glass dark green bottle.
A brand from the company that go for a genuine quality with no-compromise philosophy, very few other Italian olive oils are more worthy of buying when in Italy.
2. Uliva PDO Garda Trentino EVOO by Agraria Riva del Garda
Imagine smelling the freshness of the water in Lake Garda, the fragrances of fresh of herbs and fruits, soothing your sense of smell. This assures that olives in this part of Italy only produce the best oil brand you can buy.
A winery and cellar in 1957, and in 1965 an oil mill, Agraria Riva del Garda has since been producing one of the best olive oils in Italy. Their olives are grown in the Lake Garda area, giving extra special taste to the oil because of the Mediterranean atmosphere.
This oil is clear emerald green in color with golden rim and has a fruity and nutty aroma. Packaging comes in an elegant black bottle.
Uliva PDO Garda Trentino Extra Virgin Olive Oil has won a Gold medal in New York Olive Oil Competition. The Calasiva olives used for this oil are well taken care of to make sure the best quality is maintained, which is proven by its PDO Garda certification.
Thanks to its hardworking members, Agraria Riva del Garda is able to maintain tradition and quality of the brand that tells about the place’s history and values. 100% Italian, Uliva PDO Garda Trentino EVOO is truly one of the best olive oil brands to buy when in Italy.
3. Monini Organic Extra Virgin Oil by Monini S.P.A.
Monini Organic Extra Virgin Oil is one of the best Italian olive oil brands you can buy in Italy. It has the ICEA, or Institute for Ethical and Environmental Certification, that ensures the olives are organically treated so consumers can be assured that this pure Italian oil is purely organic, too.
Monini Organic Extra Virgin Oil has a fruity, grassy, and flowery aroma, with a bit of almonds and is medium spicy in flavor. This olive oil is best for vegetables, fish, and meat.
This award-winning olive oil brand is one of the best to buy when in Italy. Monini also has classic and original EVOO, PDO and PGI, and monocultivar as well.
4. Accademia Olearia Bio DOP Sardegna by Accademia Olearia
Hailing from an island region famous for its pristine beaches and crystal clear sea waters is the organic PDO-certified extra virgin oil, Accademia Olearia Bio DOP Sardegna. This is one of the best Italian olive oil brands to buy when in Italy, especially in Sardinia. The producer, Accademia Olearia, founded and managed by the Fois family, started in 1890 in Alghero, Sardinia.
Among its many extra virgin oil brands, Accademia Olearia Bio DOP Sardegna is our top choice. It is organic and has DOP certification that ensures customers of its protected origin.
From early ripened Bosana cultivar olives comes the green fruity oil with intense flavors of thistles and artichokes. Accademia Olearia Bio DOP Sardegna is the best oil for the kitchen and can be served raw as well.
Accademia Olearia Bio Dop Sardinia EVOO is also available around the globe. It is especially popular in the United States and Japan.
5. Majolika Extra Virgin Oil by Oilala
If you prefer a delicate, light and fruity aroma with notes of almond extra virgin oil, then by all means grab a bottle of Majolika Extra Virgin Oil by Oilala. It comes in a unique blue-colored with the Majolica design glass bottle. This oil is best for both cooking and dressing.
Although Oilala is of Greek origin, its foundation was strengthened in Italy. Their olive grooves can be found in San Fernando di Puglia and its mill in Barletta.
Run by a family that passionately makes quality extra virgin oil while giving importance to packaging as well, Oilala produces EVOO not only famous in Italy but around the world as well.
Majolika EVOO is 100% Italian EVOO from the best selection of olives yearly harvested from October and November. Since this kind of product uses a “Novello” or just-made olive oil, stocks would sometimes be limited. So, while in Italy, make sure to check out this best extra virgin oil before you leave the country.
6. La Femm’n Oglariola Garganica Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Sabino Leone
This is the best Italian olive oil that you would love to collect.
Made from monocultivar Oglariola Garganica, a centuries-old Apulian cultivar, resulting in a medium fruity extra virgin oil with aromas of the golden apple and white almond. It tastes sweet with hints of oregano and unripe tomatoes that builds its whole clean and balanced character. This is best used when making your seasonal salads and fish desserts.
Sabino Leone is a company with an oil mill in Puglia that produces award-winning extra virgin olive oil brand known all over the world. Their oil represents time, people’s creativity, and the latest technology.
As complex as its origin, as unique and as feminine as its packaging, La Femm’n Oglariola Garganica Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Sabino Leone is, indeed, one of the best Italian olive oil brands you can buy in Italy.
7. EU Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Coppini
One of the best Italian olive oil brands, Coppini Classico is crafted from 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil. It undergoes a cold extraction process from carefully chosen olives cultivated in Italy’s finest regions. With a well-balanced and fruity flavor, it concludes with a subtle pungency that elevates the taste of any dish.
Coppini Classico holds certification from the European Union as a high-quality olive oil, and it offers an affordable and readily accessible option. It’s a classic and traditional selection for those who appreciate Italian cuisine and culture.
Coppini Classico presents a cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil with a medium-bodied, harmonious, and well-balanced taste. The fundamentally sweet flavor is complemented by fruity notes, creating a distinctive profile.
8. Olio Carli
Olio Carli represents a brand of olive oil and various Italian products offered by Fratelli Carli, a family-owned company engaged in the production and sale of olive oil since 1911.
Olio Carli is renowned for its superior quality, flavorful products, and rich tradition. Alongside exceptional customer service and enticing special offers, this Italian brand presents various olive oil options, including extra virgin, delicate, and flavored varieties. Additionally, they offer olives, sauces, seafood, and desserts.
Choose Olio Carli when looking for top-quality olive oil to buy in Italy. They use superior olive cultivars, skillfully blend them, and preserve the oil with meticulous care and respect.
Olio Carli is also a certified B Corp, signifying adherence to rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. More than just a product, Olio Carli embodies a culture of enjoying good food and a quality lifestyle.
9. Bertolli
Since 1865, Bertolli has been crafting premium olive oils with simple ingredients and authentic Italian flavor. Choose from a variety of options – extra virgin, organic, cooking, or light olive oil – tailored to different occasions, preferences, and diets. Experience the timeless taste of Bertolli’s recipes in every bottle.
Bertolli olive oils undergo cold pressing to achieve a naturally robust fruity taste. Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), they support healthy blood cholesterol levels (HDL and LDL). Certified by the North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA) for quality, Bertolli’s versatile oils are ideal for salads, pasta, marinades, soups, sauces, dips, and more. Convenient single-serve portions make them perfect for on-the-go meals.
Consider Bertolli olive oil for a delightful, uncomplicated, and authentically Italian touch to your cuisine.
10. La Rocca
La Rocca, a family-owned business situated in the Belice Valley of Sicily, specializes in crafting premium extra virgin olive oil from the Nocellara del Belice and Biancolilla cultivars.
Their offerings include two distinct types: Balàt, characterized by its noble essence, intense green hue, and fruity aroma with hints of green tomato and artichoke; and Crìmiso, a versatile oil featuring a sweet foundation and a well-balanced flavor, making it suitable for a variety of dishes.
La Rocca stands out as a top choice for olive oil in Italy, adhering to traditional cultivation, harvesting, and pressing methods that guarantee freshness and authenticity.
Committed to environmental sustainability, La Rocca employs organic practices, making it a genuine expression of Mediterranean culture and cuisine — a superb option for those valuing quality and flavor.
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