The Santisi Harvest in Sicily

Phil Noto called from Sicily today to provide an update on the harvest at Santisi. It’s a very good year, with a plentiful harvest and an exceptional quality olive oil. The oil is sweet to the palate, and yet, the novello is very peppery, as it should be! Santisi is crafted from Sant’Agatese olives are grown in the province of Messina.

While Santisi extra vergine is a monocultivar of Sant’Agatese, a nearby estate produces a “biologica” (EU Certified Organic) oil with Nocellara Messinese — the lovely purple olives in the photo. (You can click to enlarge the photos for a better view). The gentleman with the donkey is another neighbor taking part in the annual ritual of bringing his olives to the press. Lastly, in the final stages notice the lovely green olive coming from the press, guided by Phil’s “cousin” Angelo Noto. (In my family everyone’s a cousin!)

At Olio2go we have the 2011 Santisi Novello  in stock.  (October 31, 2008; links updated March 2012.)