Farm True Liguria - Extra Virgin Olive Oil

“ …nei massi le barbe e nel cielo le piccole foglie d'argento ! …non vuole per crescere che aria, che sole che tempo l'olivo. ”

Around 1200 A.D. the Benedictine monks began the cultivation of olives in the province of Imperia, transplanting examples of olive trees brought from Palestine.

The variety introduced by the Benedictines took the name of "Taggiasca" from Taggia, a Riviera town between Imperia and Sanremo, that was the centre of distribution and the seat of an important nursery. They needed other than - such air, such sun - as poet Pascoli quotes in his rather archaic poetical vision.

They needed majestic walls that from the sea until the first glimpse of the Maritime Alps , form an imposing opera of terracing: they needed splendid mule tracks that consented access to the far-off reaches . So very slowly and with the patience that characterizes the Ligurian peasant, the province of Imperia became the incontrasted reign of the olive tree and the original species of the "Taggiasca".

The Taggiasca is presented as a plant of notable development- it can grow up to a height of 10 - 15 metres and is characterized by is cascading boughs. The fruit are medium sized, ovalformed and deep violet - coloured, renouned for its oil-rich pulp which produces an oil that is placed amongst, if not the best, in the world.