Cultivar (types of olives) Harvested
at Poggio La Noce

In Italy, there are more than 350 types of olive trees, or "cultivars". Through the centuries, many types of olives have been selected deliberately and cultivated. These cultivars are difficult to classify because of the many different names given to the same plant in different regions. The cultivars used affect the oil's flavor and yield, which is also influenced by latitude, climate, and terrain. In general olives from Southern Italy produce the most oil per tree. An average tree in Apulia yields about 20 liters of oil, while a tree from Tuscany will only yield a liter or so. The following three types of cultivars used at Poggio La Noce and are amongst the most popular Italian cultivars.

Frantoio - Native to Tuscany can be found throughout Italy and in almost all the olive growing countries of the world. Its widespread cultivation can be explained by its consistently high yield and, above all, by its high quality and the refined, aromatic, savory oil that it produces. Frantoio represent about 40% of the olives harvested at Poggio La Noce. These olives have a low resistance to adverse weather conditions and ripen late in the season.

Leccino - Found all around Italy, Leccino olives fill the tables of many Italians both in fruit and oil form. The tree from which Leccino is derived has high tolerance to adverse weather conditions and some common diseases. It gives a consistently high yield and it 30% of the olives harvested at Poggio La Noce.

Moraiolo - Another Tuscan cultivar, Moraiolo, is also spread throughout Italy and other olive producing Mediterranean countries. This type of olive has high oil content and the oil produced has a flavorful and powerful taste. Its tolerance to weather conditions and wind is high and the olives ripen at mid-season. Moraiolo represents about 30% of the olives harvested at Poggio La Noce.