This is a really good extra virgin olive oil from just outside of Rome, near Tivioli (where the residents are called tiburtini). The farm is right up the road from Hadrian’s villa and relics of Roman walls run around and through it.

The olives are harvested just as they are starting to go from bright green to shades of purple from ancient trees, a couple of which have trunks fifteen feet wide. The latest harvest, from 2011, was bottled unfiltered, as usual, and is pale yellow in color. The aroma is a little sweet and a little grassy, and reminds me of spinach. The flavor is smooth and balanced, with a subtle bitterness. The mouthfeel is thick and unctuous. The finish is smooth, with just a hint of pepper.

Organic