Quinta Luna EVOO

This unique oil gets its name from the five moon cycles between the flowering of the olive trees and the harvest. Producer Francesco Gaudenzi harvests his olives for this oil a month earlier than the traditional Umbrian harvest, which takes place in mid-November. The innovation of this early harvest makes the oil more intense, with a fresh aroma and bitter notes. An aromatic olive oil with the soul and personality of Umbria, Quinta Luna is extremely complex but balanced, and therefore infinitely versatile. This is the kind of prized olive oil meant to live at the center of the table; just a few drops can enhance the flavors of broiled fish or steak, fresh tomatoes, soups or salads. 

In order to ensure that each harvest lives up to its ideal aromatic profile, every year Francesco calibrates the proportion of each cultivar that goes into the Quinta Luna blend. Each cultivar requires its own processing method and adds its own unique flavor to the oil: notes of artichoke from the Moraiolo olive variety, green almond from the Frantoio, and black pepper from the Leccino.

One of the oldest families in Trevi, the Gaudenzi founded their mill in 1950. When Francesco took over the mill from his parents, they had 300 olive trees; today, he harvests 40,000, and manages the business alongside his wife Rossana and his sons Stefano and Andrea. The Gaudenzi family collaborates with the University of Perugia on research into technological innovations to the olive crushing process, and on finding innovative ways to reuse the waste materials from the production and increase the sustainability of their growing practices. They firmly believe that the best real extra virgin olive oil comes from the synergy between the expertise of an artisan and the most cutting-edge technology. But even in this modern production facility, due to the topography of the land and the variety of olives, the entire harvest must be done by hand, just as it has been for centuries.