he Alto Crotonese D.O.P. extra virgin olive oil is produced using the Carolea variety of olives (at least 70 percent) grown in a small area in the province of Crotone, in the Southern Italian region of Calabria. Olives are said to have first been cultivated here in the second millennium B.C. by the Enotrian and Pelasgian tribes whose farming settlements dotted this ancient land.
The earliest documented traces of olive oil production, however, date back to the Byzantine period, when a group of Basilian monks, taking refuge here in the sixth century from the Hellenic east, introduced improved techniques for the cultivation of olive trees. Ancient oil presses and mills dating from the sixth to the 10th centuries, as well as centuries-old olive trees, are still there to remind us of their loving, meticulous labor.
Over the past fifty years, olive farming has seen major growth in this area, taking on a key role in the local economy, thus allowing for the optimal use of a land that is rather unsuitable for most other crops.
The Alto Crotonese D.O.P. extra virgin olive oil’s fruity, mild flavor makes it an ideal condiment for fish. It is also substantial and flavorful enough be a perfect match when added fresh to fish sauces, meat or game.
