Gold Award - LICINIUS
At Dubai Olive Oil Competition
Early Harvest Edition 2024
Ultra Premium Olive Oil
Explore the Exquisite Legacy of Italian Olive Oil
Italy, a nation steeped in art, history, and sunlight, is celebrated worldwide for its extraordinary olive oils. These liquid gems stem from centuries-old wisdom handed down through generations in a land where the olive tree is not just a plant, but a cornerstone of culture and heritage.
In 2024, this Italian olive oil was scrutinized by the world’s foremost connoisseurs, comprising an elite panel. Achieving scores from 90 to 100 out of 100, this olive oil has earned the prestigious title of Ultra Premium Olive Oil. Awarded a gold medal, this accolade cements its status as one of the globe’s premier olive oils.
Such an achievement does not come by chance; it is the culmination of relentless dedication to excellence and thorough attention to every facet, from selecting the finest olives to the art of pressing them. It embodies a commitment to passion, perseverance, and precision.
Thanks to Best Olive Oils Store, this exceptional olive oil will soon be available in the most beautiful capitals of the world. You will find it in our stores and on our website. We invite you to continue your visit on this page to discover all the necessary information and fully enjoy the excellence of this olive oil.
Company
Olive farm Di Muccio
The Di Muccio farm is a small olive farm situated in the municipality of Venafro (IS) and is part of the best known Parco dell' Olivo di Venafro.
The LICINIUS extra virgin olive oil, produced by the Di Muccio family since 1948, is obtained solely from olives grown on their own farm and belonging to one of the oldest varieties of the Molise region: the Monocultivar Aurina.
The love for one's land and the traditions have led to the production of an oil limited in quantity but excellent in nutritional and organoleptic characteristics.
The olive groves are maintained without pesticides, in accordance with the rhythms of Nature, always with the same passion and attention as 80 years ago.
Quality, Taste, Health
Monocultivar Aurina
The olives from which this oil is extracted were selected and brought to Venafro in the 4th century BC by Marco Licinio, which gave them the name "Licinian olives". Valuable and produced in limited quantities, it has always inspired numerous poets: among the many Caio Plinio Secondo (' century AD) who in the "Naturalis Historia", "By public admission also in this natural asset (the oil) Italy has achieved leadership all over the world, thanks especially to the countryside of Venafro and to that sector that produces Licinian oil, hence also the special glory of the Licinia olive tree".
Appreciated even then for its fruity scent, it was reserved only for the tables of emperors and aristocrats. Considered the secret of longevity and vigor, it was also used for body care and for the cult of the dead.
Monocultivar AurinaThe LICINIUS extra virgin olive oil produced by the Di Muccio family since 1948 is obtained from olives belonging 100% to one of the oldest varieties of the Molise region: the MONOCULTIVAR AURINA. This cultivar, particularly suitable for the rather harsh climate of the Mainarde and Piana di Venafro, still resists the cold, water stress and the main parasites, without the use of pesticides, continuing to stand out for its chemical and organoleptic characteristics. Precisely to keep these characteristics unaltered, the olives are harvested while still green, starting from the first half of October, selected and cold pressed within a few hours.
This type of processing reduces the quantity produced to the full advantage of quality. Cultivated with the same passion and love as centuries ago, these olives continue to give a still very precious oil, with a golden color and a delicate and harmonious flavor, with a medium fruity and slightly spicy aftertaste; characteristics make LICINIUS a product suitable for all preparations: in particular typical recipes of Mediterranean cuisine, such as soups, legume soups, fish first courses and cold dishes.
Harvest
Hand picked and cold pressed
"MUCCIO OLIVE FARM" CULTIVATION OPERATIONS
The Di Muccio family olive farm is supervised, from the point of view of agronomic management, by Dr. Agronomist Walter Leggio, who provides technical consultancy by meticulously taking care of all the cultivation operations necessary for the production process throughout the agricultural year of the olive grove with the fundamental objective of always achieving a high quality product in total respect for the environment and health and in the absolute adoption of sustainable agriculture.
FERTILIZING OPERATIONS
The olive tree is considered a plant species that would need little fertilization, but in reality it requires large quantities of nitrogen, portassio, phosphorus and boron. To meet these needs, the agronomist plans an organic fertilization plan to reintegrate the mineral elements removed from the plant during the production cycle.
Production fertilization is carried out with two/three applications with nitrogen-based organo-mineral fertilizers and at least two applications with fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium.
PRUNING OPERATIONS
The form of cultivation of the olive grove is the traditional and characteristic one of the Piana di Venafro or in Vaso. The pruning operations of the olive grove in question are carried out annually in the period of February/March with the following objectives set: a) renewal of the production branches b) improving the penetration of light and air inside the crown of the plant c) contain the growth of the plant in order to make it more resistant to parasitic attacks d) keep productivity constant
PHYTOSANITARY TREATMENTS
The Cultivar Aurina together with the particular geographical area of the Venafro countryside in the province of Isernia, represent a winning combination against parasitic attacks and the olive fly (Bactrocera oleae): the olive itself is small and with little drupe is not attractive to the fly, already disadvantaged by the rather harsh climate of the Piana di Venafro. Therefore the company's olive trees do not need any defense system against parasites
COLLECTION AND DELIVERY OF OLIVES TO THE MILL
For a precise company choice, the olive harvest takes place when the latter are still green already in the first half of October; the result is a high quality product. The harvesting operations are carried out exclusively by hand through stripping and combing.Every day, as soon as they are harvested, the olives are taken to the mill where a careful selection takes place to eliminate any leaves and twigs, after which they are subjected to a thorough washing to eliminate any external impurities.
Once these first preliminary operations have been completed, we move on to the most important and delicate phase, namely the pressing phase: the olives are pressed to break their cell walls and membranes. The result is a paste that passes into the kneaders where the aggregation of the oil molecules takes place and thus the precious aromas of Licinus extra virgin olive oil are released. The entire kneading phase is done cold, i.e. below 27°C to keep all the organoleptic properties of the oil unaltered. The paste thus obtained is ready to pass into the decanter, where the separation of the paste from the oil takes place thanks to a centrifugal force. At this point the oil is ready to pass into the separator where the last residues of water and drupes will be eliminated.