Fratepietro extra virgin olive oil

Fratepietro Extra Virgin Olive Oil –cold extracted from Puglia, Italy

A superior-category extra virgin olive oil cold extracted from two estate-grown olive varieties — Coratina and Bella di Cerignola — harvested by hand on the Fratepietro family farm in Cerignola, Puglia. Cold extracted within hours of harvest in the family's own mill, then stored under nitrogen to preserve freshness and fragrance until it reaches you. 100% Italian olives, 100% Italian oil — nothing else. Product

Extra virgin olive oil obtained in Italy from olives harvested in Italy. Varieties: Coratina and Bella di Cerignola. Cold extracted.

Tasting notes

Colour: Deep green with golden reflections.
Bouquet: Freshly fruity with intense herbaceous aromas — notes of fresh-cut grass, tomato leaf and aromatic herbs.
Taste: Delicate and well-rounded with a pleasing balance of bitter and peppery notes, finishing with hints of almond and fresh green grass.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place away from heat and direct light. 

1. What makes this extra virgin olive oil special?

The quality of any extra virgin olive oil begins in the grove — and Fratepietro controls every step from tree to bottle. The olives are grown on the family estate in Cerignola, harvested between October and December at exactly the right moment of maturity, and pressed within hours of picking in the family's own on-site mill. This speed from harvest to press is critical: the longer olives wait before pressing, the more their natural acidity rises and their aromatic complexity diminishes.

The oil is then stored in stainless steel tanks connected to a nitrogen plant — an artisan technique that displaces the oxygen which would otherwise oxidise and degrade the oil over time. 

2. The two olive varieties — and what each brings to the blend

Coratina — one of the most celebrated olive varieties in Italy and the defining cultivar of northern Puglia, the Coratina is prized above all for its exceptionally high polyphenol content. These natural compounds are responsible for the oil's characteristic peppery bite and pleasantly bitter finish, and are also associated with significant antioxidant properties. Coratina-based oils are robust, structured and long-lived — they hold their quality well over the 18-month shelf life and stand up to cooking without losing their character.

Bella di Cerignola — the variety that has defined the Fratepietro estate for over 130 years, better known as a table olive but also yielding an oil of considerable elegance when pressed. Its contribution to this blend softens and rounds the assertive Coratina, adding a more delicate, lightly fruity dimension and the mild, clean finish that distinguishes oils from the Foggia plain.

Together, these two varieties create a blend that is both complex and approachable — the depth and structure of the Coratina anchored by the refinement of the Bella di Cerignola.

3. What does "cold pressed" and "Integral Extraction" mean?

Extra virgin olive oil must by law be extracted using only mechanical means — no heat, no chemical solvents. But not all cold extraction is equal. Fratepietro uses a method called Estrazione Integrale a freddo (Integral Cold Extraction), which maintains temperatures low temperatures the entire pressing process. This preserves the oil's full spectrum of volatile aromatic compounds — the grassy, herbal and fruity notes that make a great olive oil memorable — which would otherwise be lost to heat.

4. How do I use this olive oil?

This is a medium-fruity oil with enough structure to hold its own in cooking, and enough finesse to shine raw. Here are the best ways to use it:

• As a finishing oil — drizzle over soups, grilled vegetables, burrata, fresh ricotta or a warm bruschetta with good bread just before serving. The aromatic compounds are most vivid raw.
• Salads and pinzimoni — use as a dressing on its own or whisked with a little lemon juice and sea salt. Its rounded bitterness complements bitter leaves like rocket, radicchio and chicory particularly well.
• White meats and fish — ideal for dressing grilled or steamed chicken, rabbit, sea bass or bream. The peppery finish cuts through the richness without overwhelming delicate flavours.
• Vegetables — roast or grill aubergine, courgettes, peppers and tomatoes, then dress generously while still warm. The oil absorbs into the flesh beautifully.
• Pasta and grains — stir through freshly cooked pasta with garlic, chilli and Parmesan for an instant, classic Southern Italian dish. Also excellent on farro, barley or chickpea dishes.
• For cooking — the high polyphenol content of the Coratina variety gives this oil good heat stability, making it suitable for sautéing and roasting as well as finishing.

Explore more from our Olive Oils Collection.

Explore more from our Fratepietro Collection.