From handpicking the olives to the golden oil in your bottle – discover the craftsmanship behind our organic olive oil.
Long before a bottle of our olive oil reaches the table, it starts here — on the same century-old trees that have shaped this landscape for generations. Making good olive oil isn’t complicated, but it does demand patience, timing, and a lot of hands-on work. This is how ours comes to be.
The harvest
Every autumn, usually between mid-October and November, the groves around Colle di Chianni come alive with the harvest. We pick by hand or with light mechanical shakers, never letting the olives fall and bruise on the ground — bruised fruit means lower quality oil. It’s slow, physical work, done in the same rhythm our family has followed for years, and it’s one of the moments that makes life here feel most connected to the land.
From tree to mill, the same day
The single most important rule in good olive oil production is speed. Olives start to oxidize the moment they’re picked, so ours go straight from the tree to the mill — usually within hours. This is what separates a fresh, vibrant extra virgin oil from something flat and industrial. No stockpiling, no waiting: just-picked olives, cold-pressed while they’re still full of life.
Cold-pressed, nothing added
Our oil is extracted using only mechanical means, at low temperature, with nothing added and nothing taken away — the definition of truly extra virgin. This cold-pressing keeps the natural antioxidants, aromas, and that characteristic peppery finish intact. It’s also why our oil is best used generously: on bread, over vegetables, or as the final touch on a dish, rather than hidden in the cooking.
A blend shaped by our land
Our groves carry a mix of traditional Tuscan varieties — Frantoio, Leccino, Moraiolo, and Pendolino — each contributing something different to the final blend. Frantoio brings that classic peppery bite, Moraiolo adds bitterness and structure, while Leccino and Pendolino soften the edges. Together, they produce an oil that genuinely reflects the sun, soil, and seasons of Chianni.
A day, slowed down
We farm sustainably, without chemical shortcuts, because we want our children — and the guests who stay with us — to inherit healthy soil and thriving trees. It’s also why we welcome local schools to visit through our fattoria didattica educational program, and why families staying with us are always invited to see the groves for themselves.
A day, slowed down
The result of all this is a bottle of oil that tastes like where it comes from: green, peppery, and unmistakably Tuscan. Whether you take a bottle home after your stay or order it through our shop, every drop carries the same story — handpicked olives, pressed within hours, and made with care from trees that have stood on this hill for a hundred years.
Curious to see the groves in person? Book your stay at Colle di Chianni and we’ll happily show you around during harvest season.