It’s been a very difficult year, but it ended with a positive result both in terms of quality than quantity: it’s the outcome of the 2016 Garda oil campaign dashed by Nicoletta Manestrini, at the top of the homonymous olive mill in Soiano del Lago, one of the most important realities on the Brescia shore of Garda in the extra virgin olive oil production.
“The season has begun under the sign of a big production, with an excellent flowering that let us preview a real guinness harvest – says Nicoletta Marchesini -. Since late August, however, the olive fly has arrived massively on Garda massively, because of a too mild winter 2015 and the conditions of excessive moisture in late summer. Many small producers have lost their harvest, but the more structured companies, who have treated the olive groves correctly as recommended, have been able to cope with the situation by saving the vintage brilliantly “.
Eventually the Soiano mill worked a higher quantity of olives by 30% compared to 2015: the end result is a product with a very high tasting profile.
“The 2016 oil is perhaps sweeter and slightly less spicy compared to our average: the acidity is very low (0.2), as well as the index of oxidation, lwhich ies between 6-7 against the maximum level of 12 required by the regulations of the DOP Garda Bresciano and 20 of the normal extra virgin. This means greater durability and greater presence of antioxidants, which helps to improve the health qualities of the product. And also the analysis of pesticides have demonstrated the almost total absence of residues “.
With 2017 Manestrini range opens to a new organic extra virgin oil, which is in addition to the now classic references: the Garda Bresciano Dop, the monocultivar Casaliva and Leccino and the traditional Extra Virgin.
“Even organic farmers despite the difficulties have worked well, dealing with the right products: for this we have decided to focus on this new reference buying olives from one of our producers”.
What about the prices? “The gap between Garda and the rest of the market this year has been reduced because the stock prices have risen throughout all Italy, for the year was disastrous everywhere. But we have chosen to limit the margins: useless to continue promoting the consumption to the consumer if the cost is prohibitive. I prefer that people continue to buy and use our oil and maintain the constant flow of my most loyal customers. “
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