Olive Oil Pressing in Tuscany

In Tuscany, the olives are picked in the fall after the grape harvest. At I Selvatici Winery, we have about 200 hundred trees and produce olive oil just for our family and employees. The olives are picked from the tree and allowed to fall on ground where a net has been laid. Each tree produces a half to a full container about the size of a recycling bin.

The tractor is driven onto an industrial scale and weighed. It will be weighed again after we unload the oils in the trailer to determine how many pounds of olives we have to be processed.

We picked 33 containers of olives about the size of a recyling bin. About 1600 pounds of raw olives produces about four milk cans ( the one being carried in the other photo). The whole process takes about one hour and costs about $200 for processing.

First the olives are washed, then ground into a mash, including the seeds. We use both black and green olives. The mash is put into the press and the liquid that comes out is then seperated-water from oil. The oil is filtered and ready to consume. In the grocery store, look for five words- 'Extra Virgin First Cold Pressed.'

Happy Day!!!

This is a once a year event. This olive oil will be enough for our families for one year.

Last Year's Vintage vs. This Year's Vintage

Olive oil starts to lose it's flavor from the moment it is pressed. As you can see here, the color changes dramatically with age. You want to buy the freshest available and don't save it. Olive oil is only made once a year, so if you buy it in January or September, it is the same vintage. The key is knowing the harvest date. Unfortunately, the 'use by date' found on the back label is often 2 or 3 years after the harvest. Some brands are now putting 'harvest date' on the bottles.

Grape Crush In Tuscany at I Selvatici Winery

The grape crush is a big event at this small family winery. It happens just once a year for about two weeks.

Imagine, this is a whole year's work and we get just once chance to make wine each year.

The weather plays the biggest role. We hope for the best conditions -sun, rain, and temperatures. This is why the vintage date is so important because the grapes are different each year depending on the weather.

Grape Harvest in Tuscany II

Here the workers are waiting for the morning dew to dry before beginning to pick. The selected grapes are taken by tractor and wagon to the cellar where they will be crushed.


This is Giuseppe Sala, third generation wine maker and owner of I Selvatici Winery.

The Grape Harvest

Fall at the winery in a very busy time. In September or October, we harvest by hand picking the grapes. It takes about 15 people two weeks to pick. These are sangiovese grapes, the primary grape of Chianti. Our super tuscan, called Cardisco ( the medievel word for the grape sangiovese) is 100% sangiovese.