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Cultivars
 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
maintained through cultivation. These "cultivars" are difficult to classify
because of the many different names given to the same plant in different
regions and countries.
Italy's National Center for Research (CNR) is currently growing about 850
different cultivars for such diverse purposes as flowers, wood, table
olives, and oil production.
The type of olive tree affects the oil's flavor
and the 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 is a list of some of the
most popular Italian cultivars that can be found in American supermarkets
and gourmet stores.
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Frantoio - Native to
Tuscany, this cultivar can be found throughout Italy and in almost all the
olive growing countries of the world. Its widespread cultivation is
explained by its consistently high yield and, above all, by its high quality
and the refined, aromatic, savory oil that it produces. Unfortunately, these
olives have a low resistance to adverse weather conditions and they ripen
late in the season.
●
Moraiolo
- Another Tuscan
cultivar, Moraiolo is also spread throughout Italy and other olive producing
Mediterranean countries. This type of olive has a 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.
●
Leccino
- Found all around
Italy, Leccino olives fill the tables of many Italians both in fruit and oil
form. Particularly noted for the tree's tolerance to adverse weather
conditions and some common diseases. It gives a consistently high yield.
●
Pendolino - Another Tuscan
variety, these olive trees adorn the immediate area surrounding Florence.
The delicious olives ripen at mid-season and produce an exquisite olive oil
that pairs perfectly with local specialties and other rich dishes.
●
Bella di Cerignola - Native
of Apulia, these huge green or black olives are characterized by a sweet
taste and soft flesh. The black ones are more flavorful and easier to pit
than the green, which have a denser texture. They are delicious eaten in a
colorful and rich antipasto dish, maybe accompanied by the small, black,
wrinkled, and salt-cured Gaeta olives.
Remember that the flavor of
different olive oils is affected by different factors, even within the same
variety-the region and the climate where they're grown, when and how the
olives are harvested, the temperature at which they are stored, the material
of the container in which they are stored, and how long they stay on the
market shelf. Try all the different kinds you can, then pick your own
favorite!
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