Extra Virgin Olive Oil Bonille
PAST AND PRESENT MEET
In the splendid setting of Greve in Chianti, nestled among the hills, lies our land. Passed down from generation to generation and now managed by Marco Calosi, it has always been home to many olive trees. The farming culture traditionally involved diversified agricultural production to provide the family with all necessary daily products and allow the land to regenerate.
In the first half of the last decade, Marco, though no longer young, established two new olive groves, totalling about 130 trees. These new plantings, together with the old olive trees – planted by Dante and producing for over 50 years – began to produce excellent Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
«Life is no joke. Take it seriously, but seriously enough that at seventy, for example, you’ll plant olive trees, not because they’ll stay with your children, but because you won’t believe in death, even though you fear it, and life will weigh more on the scales.».
Nazim Hikmet
TERRITORY & CULTIVATION
Just like the vine, the olive tree is influenced by the characteristics of the land. Our olive groves are planted on slopes that favour water drainage, and the calcareous, stony soil helps the trees thrive and the wonderful development of their fruit.
The cultivation is based on respect for the environment, the natural cycles of the seasons, and the plants, which constitute our true and only heritage.
Our size allows us to work according to the principles of natural agriculture, with targeted pruning, mowing of weeds, minimal soil cultivation, the use of strictly natural products for treatments, and the use of manure from carefully chosen sheepfolds for plant fertilization.
The care and great respect we dedicate to nature and its cycles allow us to forgo certifications like organic or biodynamic.
MATURATION, HARVEST & CRUSHING
When the olives have reached the correct level of ripeness, the harvest begins. The timing of the harvest is crucial for the best product quality.
The harvest period varies depending on the season and climatic events (between late October and early December), making it essential to choose the perfect moment for the fruit to be intact, shiny, fresh, and full of field aromas. The olives are harvested manually by “brucatura.”
Once picked, the olives are crushed. The transformation of the olives into extra virgin oil is crucial. The technique used for extraction is key, as many of the final characteristics of the product are linked to the choices made during the process, which is carried out by the members of the FRANTOIO DEL GREVEPESA cooperative.
The use of new technologies and careful work by the operators in the mill allow for excellent results, preserving the nutritional and organoleptic characteristics of the extra virgin olive oil and enhancing its value.
BONILLE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
The crushing process yields precious extra virgin olive oil (EVO), one of the main ingredients of the Mediterranean diet, a natural concentrate of nutrients, beneficial substances, flavours, and aromas that depend on the cultivars and the production territory.
The olive tree varieties on the farm are Leccino, Moraiolo, and Frantoio. The number of trees for each cultivar and their layout are the result of the experience of Dante Calosi and the intervention of a renowned nursery from Pescia, specializing in olive production and new plantings.
The result is Bonille Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a product of light green colour, with the aroma of artichoke and a slightly bitter, peppery taste with herbal hints.