The Gustiamo Olive Guide
Italy is one of the world’s richest countries… rich in olive biodiversity, that is.
There are 500+ varieties of olives in Italy! That’s more olives than we could taste in a lifetime.
We import 4 variety of olives. All of them are great for both eating out of the jar AND for cooking.
These 4 olives offer a rainbow of flavors, from Italy’s North to South. Try them and tell us, which is your favorite. We’ve put this little olive guide together to help you navigate which olives best fit your palate:
Green Bella di Cerignola from Puglia are preserved in brine and are the most perfect green olives you have ever seen.
Tasting notes:
• bright, freshly harvested flavor
• sweet with no bitterness, but with a gentle bite of acidity
• high sapidity
• crunchy mouthfeel
Leccino from Campania are preserved in Farmer Francesco’s EVOO.
Tasting Notes:
• rich with a lightly toasted flavor
• slight bitterness
• buttery quality
• high umami
• tender mouthfeel
• great flavor persistence
Black Bella di Cerignola from Puglia are preserved in brine and turned black (oxidized) with streams of water (instead of being dyed with iron).
Tasting Notes:
• sweet with no bitterness
• velvety, meaty mouthfeel
• great fleshy texture
• notes of sweet liquorice
Taggiasca from Liguria are preserved in brine and offer a mosaic of colors (and flavors!):
Tasting Notes:
• intensely savory with a complex flavor profile
• floral notes
• spicy and pungent finish
• perfect balance between sweet and bitter