The oil from the Belladonna Farm and traditional processing
In this context, the oil of the Belladonna Agricultural Company was born. Farmers for more than ten generations, the company is located in the heart of the Val d’Orcia Natural and Cultural Artistic Park. The land located at an average altitude of about 400 m a.s.l. they are of medium texture tending to loose, with no water stagnation for good drainage.
The extra-virgin olive oil has a characteristic green color and golden yellow reflections. Made for 80% from Corregiolo, 10% from Leccino and the remaining 10% from Olivastra, it is a very balanced oil with very low acidity. With a delicate flavor, it does not attack the palate. Its soft, round and savory taste has a spicy aftertaste, of bitter almonds and artichoke, with a consistent density.
As for food pairings, the Company’s oil is particularly suitable with neutral, not very aromatic dishes, in order to fully appreciate its characteristics (bruschetta, salads, vegetables ..). To obtain a quality extra virgin olive oil, every moment of the transformation must be cared for and controlled.
The oil from the Belladonna Agricultural Company is pressed using the ancient traditional methods of cold discontinuous pressing. The authentic stone millstones, or mills, operate a slow and regular pressing without any increase in the temperature of the dough, giving rise to a sweet and harmonious oil.
It is the so-called traditional discontinuous cold processing that allows to obtain oils with a high content of polyphenols, fruity and stable over time. The care taken in the process that transforms the olives into oil enhances the Company’s product with all the typical qualities of the Val d’Orcia.
Maintaining tradition
The striking processing in stone mills makes the oil from the Belladonna farm a product suitable for seasoning dishes and dishes of Tuscan cuisine. The tradition of centuries of work and wisdom is reflected in the transformation of the olive which becomes a tasty and nutritious liquid. The air and the work, the light and the earth give merit to this product appreciated all over the world and essential for maintaining the balance of our body unchanged.
Val d’Orcia, an island of flavors and traditions, continues in oil to testify to the consistency of taste, quality and goodness that is found in each of its products.
The importance of quality oil
The importance that oil has for our health has been attested for some years by the most authoritative scientific studies on the quality of extra virgin olive oil. In particular, Tuscan oil reflects quality and typicality in its attributes, thanks to chemical, physical and organoleptic parameters that make it unique all over the world.
The low value of acidity and peroxides, the high content of polyphenols and tocopherols, the preponderant presence of oleic acid (monounsaturated) and polyunsaturated fatty acids, show that we are in the presence of a product of high biological quality and rich in precious substances. for our body.
The typicality of Tuscan oil also derives from the presence of chlorophyll compounds that give the extra virgin its characteristic green color with golden reflections.
Several elements contribute to characterize the typicality of Tuscan oil: the favorable climatic factors for the plant, the presence of numerous varieties in the region, the traditional cultivation methods carried out from the period from mid-October to mid-December, and the method of extraction performed with traditional systems and methods. All these features make the extra virgin olive oil that is produced in this part of Italy exclusive. The oil must therefore be considered as a real food and not a simple condiment.
Its healthy properties are well known: it is an extremely digestible food, has an antioxidant function, is good for circulation and hinders the absorption of cholesterol. The balanced presence of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids makes it suitable for all ages. Both children and the elderly benefit from it. The presence of carotenoids and a fair amount of vitamin E, polyphenols, tocopherols and sterols, counteract the absorption of harmful cholesterol.
Recent medical studies have also shown how the use of extra virgin oil in the diet reduces the onset of tumors. The Italian League against Cancer says to avoid wrong eating habits, and to “prefer extra virgin olive oil, especially raw, as a condiment”.
Val d’Orcia and territory
Among solitary and wooded hills, in the alternation of rich rows and orderly cypresses, the olive tree appears, a simple and fragrant evergreen tree that colors the sometimes harsh and sparse countryside, at other times soft and dense of the Val d’Orcia. Light and wind are the vital sources of the plant.
The wisdom of the time is found in the Val d’Orcia carved in stone, among the ancient parish churches and the churches of the villages, modeled in the fields, among landscapes unique in the world for beauty, among the lives of the inhabitants marked by simple rhythms and peasant festivals, among the tables flavored with precious aromas and perfumes. And oil plays a very important role among these.
In the enchanting landscape of one of the most varied areas of Tuscany, an oil full of color and flavor is born, with great balance and a precise qualitative and organoleptic identity. The aroma and marked fruity flavor, accompanied by hints of almond, artichoke and cut grass, recall the taste of the fruit in its freshness. Notes of bitter and spicy appear, typical of Tuscan extra virgin olive oil, and which can be recognized at the first taste.
Indispensable for seasoning panzanelle and ribollite, bruschetta and salads, it is the fundamental element of traditional and rustic cuisine, rustic and simple, made with genuine ingredients that leave the flavors alive. The fresh and slightly aggressive character of the Val d’Orcia oil gives character to typical dishes and Tuscan foods. The harmony of the landscape is matched by the right combinations of taste found at the table.
I nostri Vini Igt, Doc e Docg
La produzione vitivinicola toscana raggiunge ormai degli standard qualitativi riconosciuti su tutti i mercati. La presenza di numerosi vini a Denominazione d’Origine garantiscono la ricercatezza di armonie e gusto che il vino toscano presenta al mondo intero.
L’Olio Extra Vergine d'Oliva: Oro della Val d’Orcia
L’olio dell’Azienda Agraria Belladonna viene franto attraverso gli antichi metodi tradizionali di spremitura discontinua a freddo, che consente di ottenere un olio con elevato contenuto in polifenoli, fruttati e stabili nel tempo.