Puglia EVOO and Puglia extra virgin olive oil.
Puglia is the region of Italy with the highest production of extra virgin olive oil. The clayey and calcareous soils of Puglia, together with the arid and dry climate are the ideal habitat for olive trees. Apulian extra virgin olive oil is one of the most sought after in the world for its unique characteristics. Acidity, for example, is one of its main characteristics that makes us understand the goodness of the Apulian EVOO: in fact it is naturally less than 0.8%, but even more often it is around 0.4% and this places it among the best extra virgin olive oils of the world. The autochthonous "cultivars" of the Puglia region are different, among the most common we find: the "Cellina di Nardò" excellent for vegetables; the "leccina" good for cooking; the very common “coratina” that returns spicy and precious EVOO for robust meat dishes; the “nociara” with a high production and yield, very present in the provinces of Taranto and Brindisi; the "ogliarola" with a delicate flavor with a hint of almond; the "picholine" with a very delicate taste. Ultimately, we can categorize Apulian extra virgin olive oil as follows: fruity and soft flavor of grass and artichoke and slightly spicy. The color ranges from golden yellow to intense green. The organoleptic properties are notable for the rich presence of tocopherols, oleic acid, carotenes and Vitamin E. Puglia is also distinguished by the presence of 5 PDO (Protected Designation of Origin): Dauno, Terra di Bari, Colline di Brindisi, Terra D 'Otranto. There are also EVOO that benefit from the recognition of PIO (Protected Indication of Origin and that are produced with the cultivars: Cellina di Nardò, Cima di Bitonto (or Ogliarola Barese, or Ogliarola Garganica), Cima di Melfi, Frantoio, Ogliarola salentina ( or Cima di Mola), Coratina, Favolosa (or Fs-17), Leccino, Peranzana obviously following the production disciplinary.
