Nocellara Etnea Olive Oil: Characteristics of the Cultivar

NOCELLARA ETNEA

Some call it Paturnisa, others Augghialora, and others still Tortorella. They are all referring to the Nocellara Etnea olive, a native cultivar of eastern Sicily, widespread across the provinces of Ragusa, Syracuse, and Catania, on the slopes of Mount Etna. Among Sicilian cultivars, it should not be confused with Nocellara del Belice, which is typical of the Agrigento and Trapani areas, although the two do share some similarities.

Nocellara Etnea and Nocellara del Belice are among the many varieties of Sicilian cultivars, each distinguished by specific characteristics. In the case of Nocellara Etnea, for example, one of its qualities is its excellent versatility, which makes the oil obtained from this cultivar suitable for seasoning many different types of food: cooked dishes, raw preparations, and even desserts. These qualities can be found in our Favola Nocellara Etnea extra virgin olive oil, made from olives harvested in the plains of the Syracuse area and characterized by balanced sensory notes.

CULTIVARS: A HISTORICAL JOURNEY

First of all, let’s look at what we mean by cultivar. Cultivars are all cultivated varieties of olives suitable for oil production. In the areas where olive growing has been most successful, such as the lands washed by the Mediterranean, producers, together with farmers and agronomists, have experimented over the millennia with new varieties, identifying which plants were more resistant to disease and bad weather. In this way, they created a true olive genetics, which made it possible to plant specific varieties in certain environments, each with its own characteristics.

This process did not happen overnight. It is the result — quite literally — of centuries of experimentation, based on the study of the characteristics of the plant, such as how dense its foliage is, the fruit, including size, colour, and oil yield, the oil itself, such as flavour, density, and nutritional characteristics, as well as the soils that would later host the cultivations.

Technology has also played a key role. Since the 1960s, centrifugation has replaced pressure extraction in modern olive mills, limiting the oil’s contact with oxygen and making it easier to remove pulp residues. In short, with all due respect to our ancestors, today we enjoy a much higher quality oil. Nocellara Etnea is a perfect example of this: just take a tour of our olive mill, where we show the production techniques and processes, followed by a tasting of our oil.

In essence, therefore, a cultivar is the combination of these natural and technical characteristics. Italy is the country with the widest range of olive varieties in the world: 538, practically 40 percent of global production. Many of these are found in Sicily, differing from one another according to the island’s territory, which is known for its great internal diversity.

WHAT MAKES NOCELLARA ETNEA UNIQUE

Although Nocellara Etnea is perfectly suited to the land where it grows, it is not an easy cultivar to cultivate: the young plants take root with varying success and require very careful attention. However, producers, aware of the quality of the final product, continue to cultivate it, also thanks to this cultivar’s excellent resistance to wind and drought.

Nocellara Etnea olives are large in size, with a round base and pointed tip. Thanks to their high stone-to-pulp ratio, they are excellent for the production of green table olives. With these olives, distinguished by a sensory interplay of spiciness and bitterness, you will certainly make a great impression when serving them as part of an appetizer for an aperitif or dinner. Naturally, they also pair beautifully with Mediterranean dishes.

NOCELLARA OIL

As for the oil, its low yield, around 16 percent, makes it one of the most prized Sicilian EVO oils. In addition, the acidity level of this Etna cultivar is very low, at around 0.6 percent. Nocellara Etnea extra virgin olive oil is also an ideal ally for the body, helping protect it against neurological and cardiovascular risks thanks to its antioxidant properties.

The taste of Nocellara Etnea oil changes depending on the ripeness of the olives. If the olives have reached an advanced stage of ripening, the flavour will be sweeter. On the other hand, when the oil is produced from olives that are not yet fully ripe, it may feel slightly more spicy or bitter on the palate.

In conclusion, whether it is called Paturnisa, Augghialora, Tortorella, Nocellara Etnea, or Nocellara dell’Etna, this cultivar is the result of a long historical process shaped by meticulous work both in the fields and in the olive mill. The result can only be a guarantee of genuineness and authentic Sicilian flavour.