La Poderina Toscana Argento Organic 2023 (3L)

It's Here!

Long known as La Poderina Toscana, the farm has been re-named Poderi Borselli.

Efficient, protective 3L bag-in-box with integral pouring spout. 

This is the "sibling" oil to the noted La Poderina Toscana featured in the Washington Post article, Beyond Extra Virgin (October 19, 2011).

 From our visit in June: "When Davide reaches for the Argento, he is pairing the notes with fresh, raw, preparations such as salads -- or fish, shellfish, or meats served crudo. " 

Argento is an intensely fruity oil from the area of Grosseto, more specifically Montegiovi and Castel di Piano. The olives are hand-picked in the first three weeks of November and pressed at La Poderina Toscana.

The resulting oil is yellow to bright green and the oil is decanted for a short period of time before filtration. The aromas and flavor characteristics are intense and complex with elements of green grass, fresh artichoke, delicate almond and pine nutes. The cultivar blend determines the pleasant and balanced harmony. The chosen cultivars are: Frantoio, Leccino, Olivastra Seggianese, and Correggiolo.

You can read more about La Poderina Toscana and their very old trees, as well as see a video of the area here. 

At La Poderina Toscana, they’ve taken the “green movement” to heart. The farm is organic and the energy for the pressing comes from photovoltaic energy cells. The farm uses biomass heating as well for hot water and to heat the farm house. We can’t think of another producer who so eliminated or reduced outside energy sources. (We almost want to apologize for using an ocean-freighter to bring the oil to the U.S.)

The family began to acquire the farm in the 1980s and began planting the trees. In 1995 they added the mill and the cellar. Davide’s time at university was spent studying agronomy to take the production to the next level.

Davide tells us the family’s production uses the Mori crusher to extract oil, drop by drop, without using water. The machine is composed by thousands of blades that go inside the olive paste and extract the oil without using hot water, centrifuge or pressing. The result is an oil full of polyphenols, antioxidants that preserve the human body. The intense aroma of the olive oil is very persistent and it tastes very strong and spicy.

Argento (The Saporito aka "tasty") – is composed of the varieties Correggiolo, Frantoio, Leccino and Olivastra Seggianese. It is an oil with a classic and decisive taste, with very accentuated bitter and spicy tips. Perfect in combination on raw fish, fresh salads of the season (classics such as valerian and rocket/arugula), and beef, especially tartare. Classic Tuscan, Argento is bolder than Oro.

Awards and Recognition:

Slow Food Italia 2023

Past awards and recognitions include:

Flos Olei, BIOL, Slow Food, Guida A.I.S. Bibenda