How is olive oil made?

When it comes to olive oil production, we distinguish between cold-pressed and cold-extracted methods. Both processes produce high-quality olive oil classified as ‘extra virgin’. However, when it comes to flavour, the production method makes a difference.
At Famiglia Mirretta-Barone, we only trust our selected mills for olive oil production. And what happens there should be no secret. That is why we would like to give you a better understanding of our olive oil extraction methods on this page.

Every year, we harvest our olive trees in Abruzzo by hand, together with friends and the whole family. We then divide the harvest and take it to various mills in Italy (in the Abruzzo region). The mills we work with extract the olive oil using different methods. What’s fascinating is that the three family-owned olive oils achieve three distinct flavours solely through the different extraction methods. This is because they are always made from the same blend of the same olive trees and the same olive varieties.

Cold pressing is arguably the most traditional method of olive oil production. That is why our cold-pressed oil is called ‘Come Prima’. In English: ‘as in the old days’. We explain the individual steps involved in the cold-pressing process for our cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil 'Come Prima'.

The 7 steps of cold-pressed olive oil production

1. First, the leaves and twigs are removed from the olives.
2. The olives, including the pits and pulp, are then ground between two large millstones.
3. The resulting olive paste is then spread out onto round filter mats.
4. The filter mats are stacked on top of one another and pressed together hydraulically.
5. A reddish emulsion, consisting of oil and water, seeps out of the filter mats.
6. This emulsion is centrifuged in the next stage of the process.
7. The centrifuge separates the olive oil from the watery, red liquid.
8. The oil is then filtered several times as required (– and then bottled straight away).

The flavour of our cold-pressed ‘Come Prima’ olive oil

Once filtered, the oil is ready for bottling and can be tasted.
But how does cold-pressing affect the flavour of the olive oil?

The flavour of our ‘Come Prima’ olive oil is very mild and nutty, with a slight hint of walnut. It has hardly any pungency and causes little to no throat irritation. The colour of this oil ranges from green to yellow.

2. Modern cold extraction – 'Frentania'

Cold extraction is a more modern method used in olive oil production. We explain the individual steps of the cold extraction process, right through to the production of our 'Frentania' extra virgin olive oil.

The 8 steps of olive oil production using cold extraction

1. Here too, the olives are first stripped of leaves and twigs and then washed.
2. After washing, the whole olives are ground between two large millstones.
3. The olive paste is then placed in a kneading machine, known as a ‘gramola’ in Italian.
4. The kneading process produces an emulsion.
5. This emulsion is then pumped into a centrifuge.
6. The centrifuge then separates the oil from the watery liquid.
7. Temperature control ensures that the 29 °C mark is not exceeded during processing. This is the only way the olive oil retains its chemical and organoleptic properties.
8. Here too, the oil is filtered several times and then bottled directly.

The flavour of our cold-pressed ‘Frentania’ olive oil

When tasting it, you immediately notice its very velvety and creamy flavour. It has a distinct aroma and taste of fresh olives. The mild heat on the finish and the slight tickle in the throat come from the high polyphenol content, which is considered to be beneficial to health.
The creaminess of the flavour is reflected in its colour and consistency: a pale golden-green hue defines the appearance of this olive oil.

3. The special cold extraction method – ‘Ciommi’

In this specific method of olive oil production, cold extraction is carried out in the absence of oxygen. We explain the individual steps involved in the low-oxygen cold extraction process for our extra virgin olive oil 'Ciommi'.

The 9 steps of olive oil production using low-oxygen cold extraction

1. First, the leaves and twigs are removed from the olives, which are then washed.
2. After washing, the olives are placed in a sealed stainless steel container.
3. Inside, the olives are cut up by hundreds of stainless steel blades and crushed into a paste.
4. This olive paste is kneaded in a kneading machine, known as a ‘gramola’.
5. The emulsion emerges.
6. The emulsion is then pumped into a centrifuge.
7. The centrifuge separates the oil from the watery (red) liquid.
8. Care is taken to ensure that the temperature remains below 26°C during processing, so that the oil retains its nutrients and important compounds.
9. The oil is filtered several times here as well and can then be bottled directly.

The flavour of our cold-pressed ‘Ciommi’ olive oil

When tasting it, you immediately notice that the “Ciommi” olive oil has a very green and grassy flavour. This initial taste is followed by a fresh and intense flavour of olives and leaves. It smells of a freshly mown meadow. When you let this olive oil slide down your throat undiluted, you feel an intense sharpness with a noticeable scratch in the throat. This comes from the high polyphenol content. The rich golden-green colour reflects the flavour profile.

Our three olive oils from different production methods

1. Traditionally cold-pressed: 'Come prima'
2. Cold-extracted: 'Frentania'
3. Cold-extracted special: 'Ciommi'

Would you like to try all three of the olive oils we’ve discussed in a direct comparison? No problem! We offer a handy taster set in our shop. The set contains a sample size of each of our three oils (100 ml each). This means you can taste them in the comfort of your own home and find your personal favourite olive oil.

Do you have any questions about our olive oils and how they are made? If so, we look forward to hearing from you via email at info@italienisches-olivenöl.com!