A 1700-Year Old Olive Tree
The oldest olive tree in Umbria, and probably in the whole of Italy, is at Trevi. Known as the Olive of Sant' Emiliano, the tree is said to grow in the place where the town's patron saint was martyred in 304 BC during the Christian persecutions ordered by Emperor Diocletian. A 9th century codex tells of how Miliano, who was the first bishop of Trevi, was tied to this olive sapling prior to being decapitated.
The tree is divided into three large trunks that all stem from a central body with a 9-metre perimeter.
The tree stands near Bovara (frazione di Trevi), just 200 metres from the Benedictine abbey founded in 1158.
….. and the other olives!
The olive oil produced in this area is of the highest quality. Acidity levels are less than 0,65%, giving it an intense, fruity flavour as well as the spell of fresh olives. Emerald green in colour, the oil produced here is classified as having no taste defects.
In 1968 some of the area's olive growers decided to join together as a firm, to increase their competitiveness on the market and therefore maintain a continued high quality in their oil. A cooperative was founded that soon grew to represent 84 olive growers.
To further increase their competitiveness on the market the same growers founded the Società Agricola Trevi ‘Il Frantoio’ s.r.l. in 1985, which is the only firm that markets Trevi oil to families and top Italian restaurants.
The first to receive a quality seal
In 1994 this was the first olive oil producing firm to be awarded the ISO 9002 Quality Certification Seal. In 1999 the firm was awarded the DOP seal (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) of the Assisi-Spoleto hills by the Parco Tecnologico Agroalimentare dell’Umbria. This seal guarantees that the oil meets certain high quality and production standards. The provenance of the oil is guaranteed by a code of numbers and letters printed on the bottle. Via this code it is actually possible to trace the single producer of that oil.
The Società Agricola di Trevi il ‘Frantoio’ also runs an exclusive range of cosmetic products that make use of ancient recipes using olive oil.
Trevi is at the centre of the DOP Colli di Assisi-Spoleto olive growing area. In the foothills of the Apennine mountain range, this area is ideal for growing olives.
Anyone wishing to get in touch with the Società Agricola Trevi ‘Il Frantoio’ s.r.l. should go to Via Fosso Rio Loc. Torre Matigge 06039 Trevi (PG)
Toll free number: 800 862 157 tel (+39) 0742.39.16.31 Fax (+39) 0742.39.24.41
E-mail info@oliotrevi.it website www.oliotrevi.it
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