Guide
How do you read an extra virgin olive oil label?
Look for four statements: the “extra virgin” category with its definition, the origin, the extraction method and, if there is one, the certification. On our La Madre Terra extra virgin olive oil you read “100% italiano”, “estratto a freddo” and the code IT BIO 006 of the ICEA body, which certifies it organic.
See our olive oilAt a glance
- Producer
- La Madre Terra, bottled near Rimini
- Origin
- Puglia, Italy
- Extraction
- Cold, below 27 °C
- Certification
- Organic, ICEA (IT BIO 006)
- Price
- from CHF 34.00
Extra virgin: the highest category
European law sorts olive oils into categories, and extra virgin is the highest. Its label must state that it is “superior category olive oil obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means”. On our bottle, that sentence appears in Italian on the side of the label.
The origin
For an extra virgin oil, the origin is compulsory: a country, the European Union or a protected designation. A statement such as “blend of olive oils of European Union origin” means oils from several countries. Our bottle says “100% italiano”, and its olives come from Puglia.
Cold extracted or first cold pressed?
Both statements are optional, and the European regulation governs them. “Cold extracted” means an oil obtained below 27 °C by percolation or centrifugation of the olive paste. “First cold pressed” is reserved for an oil also obtained below 27 °C, from a first pressing in a traditional hydraulic-press system. Our label says “estratto a freddo”: cold extracted.
Harvest and storage
“First harvest” is not a statement the regulation defines. The harvest year, on the other hand, may only appear if all the oil in the container comes from that harvest. The label must also remind you to keep the oil away from light and heat; ours does, next to its best-before date.
Certification
On our oil, the organic statement comes with the code IT BIO 006 and the name of the body that certifies it, ICEA. ICEA is the Istituto per la Certificazione Etica e Ambientale.
On the palate
Our oil is fruity and round, with a light bitter finish. It is best used raw: a thin thread over toasted bread, or as a final touch on spaghetti still steaming.
Who makes it
Our oil is bottled by La Pietra Scartata, the workshop of the social cooperative La Fraternità, near Rimini. Since 1987, the La Madre Terra brand has carried the commitment of people, with and without disabilities, who found their dignity again through work.
The products in this guide
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La Madre Terra
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
750 ml
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La Madre Terra
Apulian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 5L
5 L
Only 8 left
La Madre Terra
Chilli-Flavoured Olive Oil
250 ml
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between virgin and extra virgin olive oil?
Both are obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means. Extra virgin is the superior category.
What does “cold extracted” mean?
That the oil was obtained below 27 °C by percolation or centrifugation of the olive paste.
How should olive oil be stored?
Away from light and heat, as the label reminds you.
Where does your oil come from?
From Puglia: it is La Madre Terra’s extra virgin olive oil, bottled near Rimini by La Pietra Scartata.
Is there a larger size?
Yes: La Madre Terra also offers its Apulian extra virgin olive oil in a 5-litre can.