The Olive Harvest Season: The Ottaviani Mill Calendar

The Olive Harvest: A Sacred Moment in Tuscia

In the heart of the Viterbo Tuscia, between October and December, a ritual unfolds that the Ottaviani family has cherished for over a century. The olive harvest is not simply an agricultural operation: it is the moment when an entire year's work takes shape, transforming into the green gold that will arrive on your table.

The Harvest Calendar

October: The Start of the Season

The first olives of the Canino variety begin to reach the right degree of ripeness. During this period the drupes still display a green-violet colouring, ideal for producing an oil with an intense aroma and the characteristic slightly spicy and bitter aftertaste, the hallmarks of a high-quality extra virgin olive oil.

November: The Heart of the Harvest

This is the most intense month at the Frantoio Ottaviani. The olives reach the perfect balance between yield and organoleptic quality. Our mill operates at full capacity, with pressing taking place within just a few hours of harvesting in order to preserve all the properties of the fresh fruit.

December: The Final Harvests

The season concludes with the last olives, which yield a more delicate and sweeter oil. It is also the period when the New Oil is finally available to our most loyal customers.

Why Timing Is Essential

Early harvesting, which we favour at the Frantoio Ottaviani, guarantees:

• Higher polyphenol content – natural antioxidants that bring health benefits and better keeping qualities
• Intense aromatic profile – notes of artichoke, fresh grass and almond typical of the Canino
• Very low acidity – well below the 0.8% required by law for extra virgin olive oil

Our Harvest: Tradition and Respect

For generations, the Ottaviani family has carried out the harvest by hand and with mechanical aids, never resorting to methods that could damage the trees or the fruit. Every olive is treated with the care it deserves, because we know that the quality of the oil begins right here, among the branches of our olive trees.

From Tree to Mill in a Few Hours

The time that passes between harvesting and pressing is decisive. At our mill, the olives are processed within 4–6 hours of harvesting, while they still retain all their properties intact. This rapid process avoids unwanted fermentation and oxidation that would compromise the final quality.

Product Availability Throughout the Year

New Oil (November–January)

The New Oil, freshly pressed, is available in limited quantities. It has a bold character, naturally cloudy, with a taste that evolves over the first few weeks. A unique experience for true connoisseurs.

Filtered Oil (All Year Round)

After natural settling and filtration, our Canino extra virgin olive oil is available all year round, until the new vintage's stocks run out.

Visit the Mill During the Harvest

During the milling season, we open the doors of our mill to those who wish to experience this authentic moment up close. You can watch the production process, smell the aroma of the freshly pressed olives and taste the oil straight from the source.

Book your visit by contacting us by telephone or through our online form. A member of the Ottaviani family will be delighted to guide you in discovering the secrets of our oil.

Contract Milling Service

Do you have your own olive trees and wish to turn your olives into oil? During the harvest season, the Frantoio Ottaviani offers a contract milling service. Bring your olives and entrust them to our century-old expertise to obtain a superior quality oil.