The History

Before the 14th century, in the Republic of Lucca, extra virgin olive oil produced with olives grown north of the city, in particular in the locality of Matraia, was already appreciated. On these hills, characterized by south-facing slopes, numerous small oil mills arose. The olives were crushed with large stone wheels, driven by animals such as donkeys and horses, to obtain a pulp called pomace. This was then left to settle in large stone tanks full of water, from which the oil that emerged was collected with special tools called oliarole. Over time, extraction techniques have evolved, leading to the creation of an excellent product known as extra virgin olive oil and Tuscan olive oil, appreciated throughout the world.

The oil mill

The Frantoio di Matraia, today located in the town of Marlia, is the result of the modernization of an ancient oil mill located on the hills north-west of Lucca, in the town of Matraia, the nerve center of the production of extra virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil from Matraia . Here, the olive groves, which have always been a symbol of excellence, thrive thanks to the unique characteristics of the soil and the extraordinary quality of the olives, giving life to an extra virgin olive oil renowned throughout the world.

The Family

The Perna family, guided by the intuition of the founder, decided to revive that small oil mill, which had been disused for years, with the aim of bringing the new generations closer to the values ​​and traditions carefully handed down by their ancestors. The modernization works led to the reopening of the mill at the beginning of the 1998/1999 oil campaign. The integration of modern technologies, such as malaxers, with traditional methods, such as the use of the stone mill, allowed excellent results to be obtained. Within a few years, the increase in demand made it necessary to expand and upgrade the machinery for the production of extra virgin olive oil and Tuscan olive oil, especially in the Lucca area and the province of Lucca.

Evolution

However, the original position of the oil mill, logistically complex to reach, pushed the family to move it to a flat area, more easily accessible and able to serve a wider catchment area, both for the sale of oil and for milling. third party account. The transfer was accompanied by a complete renewal of the production cycle, which focused on the use of advanced technologies for the extraction of extra virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil, while maintaining unchanged the organoleptic and qualitative characteristics that make olive oil extra virgin of Matraia and the entire province of Lucca, unique in the world for its unmistakable flavor and aroma.