We report the letter that Gianni Chiodi (in the photo) sent us from the province of Ancona olive grower and miller, official taster.
The 2022 oil campaign is now drawing to a close. The high temperatures , drought recorded already from the flowering period have certainly not made the life of the birds easy olive growers that, with stubbornness, passion and courage dedicate an entire year to the care of their olive groves to bring healthy, genuine and respectful products to the tables of Italians. Due to the high temperatures of the summer months, the harvest started early. The month of September was characterized by frequent and abundant rains which clearly caused some problems and favored the fly attack, but the 2022 oil campaign stood out for a good quantity of olives and a good quality of the oils.
Honestly – and I speak as an olive grower and miller-, I am surprised by the alarms raised by sector technicians that point to the oils just produced of poor quality, with heating and hay-dry problems attributed to the attack of the oil fly. As an operator in the sector - third generation in the family that produces extra virgin olive oil and an official taster registered in the national list - I believe that freshly produced oils are good, with chemical parameters that largely fall within the values of the extra virgin category, and with good sensory characteristics.
Of course, also due to the high rainfall in September, not all oils stand out for their notable bitter and spicy hints, but I think it is necessary to make a clarification in this regard. Clearly, if we talk about oils intended for a competition, a particular sharpness of the sensory characteristics is necessary, with marked fruity, bitter and spicy notes. But what about the oils intended for daily consumption and for our cuisine, the oils produced are certainly good extra virgin.
It is a pity that some, even those responsible for promoting the work of olive growers, have not understood the extraordinary work which they have carried out, also operating in small plots, often impervious, with a far from ideal climatic situation, producing an oil that has all the characteristics to be rigorously classified as extra virgin.
Furthermore, I find that there is a contradiction between the great work of enhancing and protecting olive biodiversity with the evaluation method of oils. In particular, an autochthonous variety which in itself has a low content of polyphenols, will never reach strong hints of bitter and spicy, and the resulting oil, according to the parameters adopted, will not be worthy of note. There dangerous consequence is that, in the near future (we find confirmation already today), they will go to plant only varieties with a high polyphenol content, which initially have an advantage in the production of bitter and spicy oils, with the loss of part of our biodiversity. Not to mention that, for certain dishes with a delicate taste, the most bitter and spicy oils are not always the most suitable, since, as is often said, every dish needs its own oil.
One last note regarding the so-called “hobbyists”, considered as unprepared producers who are not aware of their work and do not pay attention and care in the management of their olive grove. We are well aware that a good portion of Italian olive growing is in the hands of these people and that, in certain areas, without the providential presence of the "hobbyists", which give greater weight to the passion and the link with the territory with respect to the economic objectives (which in any case must be positive), a part of the Italian olive heritage would fall into abandonment, with consequent degradation of the care of the rural landscape that we are so committed to promoting.
I don't want to be argumentative with anyone, but I see that it is always the small producers who are penalised, who are the cornerstone of our territory, who bring healthy and genuine products to the tables of Italians, who maintain an active presence in the countryside, who continue to bring to life our traditions, our customs, our memory: they too are our history.
In short, I am sad to see that while the oils of well-known national brands, coming from abroad, are present on the shelves of shops at bargain prices, awarded the extra virgin denomination, the oils of our small producers, good, healthy, genuine and an expression of territory, are unjustly penalized.
