Istriana
ISTRIANA EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Centuries of Istrian tradition in every drop
Istriana is cold-pressed premium extra virgin olive oil.
Its exceptional flavor comes from the fusion of oil-making tradition dating back to the Roman Empire, the unique microclimate in Istria, and the dedicated expertise of our team.
Awards and Certificates
Awards 2023 year
Awards 2022 year
Awards 2021 year
Land cradled by the sea
Over 3000 olive trees are nurtured on our estate on the southern coast of Istria, Croatia. Olive oil production has been an integral part of Istrian tradition for over 2500 years, establishing our peninsula’s reputation for producing some of world’s finest oil.
Istriana is continuing that tradition.
Bottled for the ages
Olive growing in Istria flourished in the Roman period, with Istrian olive oil becoming one of the most prized oils throughout the Empire. For transportation, Romans used clay amphoras produced in south Istrian villages.
These vessels were created using the bright red Istrian soil, a clear indication to the Roman consumer of the authenticity and origin of the oil. In honor of that tradition, we incorporate that same red earth in which our trees are cultivated to pigment every bottle.
From soil to oil
Every step in creation of our premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil is critical.
From the microclimate and soil studies we carried out on all our estate land to the selection of each individual tree we planted, Istriana has controlled every step of the creation and cultivation of our groves. This is the only way to truly ensure the origins and integrity of establishing a certified organic farm, with a nod to the centuries-long practices of the Istrian olive oil tradition.
By personally curating every aspect of olive cultivation, harvest, and milling, the people who care for our trees as well as gather and sort our olives, maintain a singular focus to ensure the native olive flavor and the quality of the oil are preserved.
Istriana Extra Virgin Olive Oil A taste of History
The only way to move forward is to acknowledge the past
The Croatian region of Istria is rich in tradition, and its history is replete with tales and myths surrounding the cultivation of the first olives on the peninsula.
Learn how it all began and how Istriana maintains over 2500 years of olive oil tradition.
Each bottle contains a fragment of that history.
Art of the oil
Over 3000 olive trees sway in the breeze of the Adriatic, just outside the small coastal village of Valtura along Istria's coastline.
Bounded by the sea on three sides, the tip of the Istrian peninsula is unique in its combination of microclimate, soil composition, and coastal exposure unique to this part of the world.
A Fragment of History
In ancient times, olive oil making involved several distinct steps of rinsing, pit removal, and open air stone milling to extract the oil. The leftover pulp was placed into woven bags or baskets and pressed to extract additional oil.
Hot water was then poured over the bags to extract the maximum amount of residual oil.
Our approach today
In keeping with our goal of producing the highest quality oil without regard for maximizing quantity, Istriana picks and sorts our olives early in the season while they are mostly still green, thus ensuring the highest possible polyphenol content. We pay special attention to rush each batch of sorted olives to the mill, minimizing the time from tree to oil.
To further preserve the quality of the oil, we store it under nitrogen and temperature control and only bottle it immediately prior to shipping.
It is only by combining traditional methods with modern technology and rigorously controlling each step from planting to bottling that Istriana was able to achieve global recognition for the consistent quality of our premium olive oil.
A Fragment of Earth
Centuries ago, the traditional mode of transport of wine, olive oil, and other precious liquids employed clay amphorae made from the local earth in each region.
In Istria, archeological digs suggest that amphorae used for olive oil transport were made in Fažana and Lorne using the local red earth.Istriana premium olive oil is presented in bottles specially designed to honor the tradition of ancient amphorae. For the first time in centuries, the actual bright red earth in which Istriana olives are grown is incorporated into the bottle coloring process.
The Istriana bottle you can hold in your hands contains not only the history of centuries of oil-making tradition but also the actual earth that has given life to olives that produced Istriana olive oil.
Istriana Extra Virgin Olive Oil People behind the Oil
Creating a premium oil is a matter of admiring the fruit it comes from
Those who cultivate and protect this historic land maintain traditional techniques while applying modern technology to restore Istria's global prominence. The result is Istriana, premium extra virgin olive oil.
Our motivation is to provide you with an exclusive experience, with oil that complements the history and best modern practices. Each bottle contains a fragment of that history.
Our mission
We are custodians of over 3000 organically grown olive trees we planted ourselves that includes native Istrian and regional varieties. We feel a great sense of pride in nurturing the centuries-old traditions of olive cultivation, continuing and expanding upon Istria’s most coveted legacy.
We created Istriana EVOO to honor, protect and promote the traditions that gave birth to the mythical status Istrian olive oil enjoyed among the elites of the Roman Empire.
Our vision
We want to provide the world with a culinary experience that combines tradition and modern technology. Our trees are organically cultivated, our fruit is hand-picked, the oil is produced using modern technologies and best practices, and our bottles are designed to honor the tradition.
Istriana is exclusive and premium organic extra virgin olive oil, produced in limited quanitites. We want to provide you with an authentic and uniquely Istrian culinary experience.
Our wish is to share the best of Istria with the rest of the world.
From Roman Empire to Croatia and the World
You can find more about the history of olive oil in Istria and Istriana here or discover about taste, culinary experiences, and recipes here.
Due to the limited quantity of oil produced, Istriana EVOO is bottled by hand. The coloring of each bottle contains actual red earth on which our trees are grown.
contact us
www.istrianaoliveoil.com
