Giarraffa – Mandranova

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Thank you to Mandranova for sending us their Giarraffa EVOO.

Producer	Mandranova
Crop Year	2019/2020
Cultivar	Giarraffa 100%
Region	Sicily (Agrigento)
Harvesting Method	Handpicking, with mechanical facilitators
Extraction Method	Continuous – two phases
Tasted on	May 2020

Giarraffa EVOO really surprised us with its special taste. The olive oil is made from the Giarraffa, a Sicilian cultivar of ancient origin which is not easy to find on the national or international market; this is also due to its fragility, a characteristic which makes the tree at risk in case of extreme climate conditions, and particularly exposed to parasite diseases. However, the fragility and delicacy of this cultivar also transfer positively to its aromas and taste: elegance and fineness are the narrative threads of our analysis. The scent of green tomato, perceived during both the olfactory and gustatory analysis, perfectly combine with a rich bouquet of fine floral scents of broom, jasmine and orange blossom, along with notes of Mediterranean herbs such as thyme, rosemary and basil – these sensations lead your imagination to take a pleasant walk along the Sicilian Mediterranean coast, a territory naturally rich of these perfumes and flavours.

Also read the review of “Cerasuola” and “Nocellara” Mandranova.

Appearance & Visual Analysis

The oil is of an intense avocado green colour, with bright lemon yellow highlights.

Scents & Olfactory analysis

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On the nose Giarraffa feels very elegant, with the scent of green tomato standing out among all. The EVOO’s elegance is definitely underlined by the presence of a fine floral perfumes mix of broom, jasmine and orange blossom. But Giarraffa’s bouquet of perfumes is even broader: a potted Mediterranean herb mix of mint, thyme, rosemary and basil is followed by delicate green vegetable notes of fresh artichoke, lettuce and green almond.

Tasting: Aromas & Flavours

Pungency

Bitterness

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On the palate, Giarraffa EVOO is delicate in both structure and flavors. Scents of green vegetables such as chard, green almonds, artichokes, green tomatoes and lettuce gently flirt with your palate. The taste is also enriched by spicy notes of pepper (white, black and pink), Mediterranean herbs (sage and thyme among all) and citrus tones of lime and lemon.
The sensations that follow one another on the palate go from an initial gentleness of flavours to a rich and balanced pungency sensation, then followed by a medium bitterness which closes the tasting.

We love it with…

Read how to pair food and EVOO in our article: Olive Oil Pairings.

Giarraffa EVOO’s delicacy yet well-defined character make the olive oil perfect to use on a long list of dishes, from appetizers to second courses. Giarraffa enhances the taste of cheese – soft fresh (ricotta, stracchino) and semi-hard (pecorino, parmesan) – and vegetables (fresh, steamed or boiled). Try it on caprese, a fresh dish made of tomato and mozzarella: it will increase the vegetable notes of the dish, enhancing the flavour of the tomatoes.
Giarraffa EVOO also boosts the structure of eggs-based dishes (hard-boiled, poached or fried, perhaps with a salad on a side), and quiche and savoury pies (read our recipe).
Giarraffa is then perfectly pairable to pasta with white sauces (without tomato): stuffed cannelloni or pasta alla boscaiola made with fresh mushrooms; moreover, this EVOO perfectly enriches mushroom based dishes (e.g. grilled fresh mushrooms) or pumpkin-based preparations. Giarraffa EVOO adds aromatic tones to withe meat dishes such as Turkey rolls, or greek salads with fresh feta cheese, olives, cucumbers and onion; to finish the meal, a touch of Giarraffa EVO oil on a fruit salad made of strawberries, pineapple, coconut and apple will add pleasant aromatic tones to your fruit.

We paired Giarraffa EVOO to a tasty vegetarian recipe – red beetroot noodles topped with fresh sauteed asparagus and grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese: the a crudo addition certainly balanced the sweetness of the noodles to the light bitter sensation of the asparagus, enhancing the taste of the preparation with a balanced mix of aromatic herbs, and a light, pleasant pungency.

Az. Agricola Mandranova

“On a hill, a few miles from the sea, there is a green oasis where a selection of native young olive trees grows in our olive grove, as well as some which are several hundred years old. All are individually irrigated. Here we produce extra-virgin olive oil, almonds and conserves that are expressions of our land, our sun, our Sicily.”

Mandranova is located in Palma di Montechiaro, in Agrigento province, a territory rich in natural diversity and historical and gastronomic culture.
The Mandranova farm was established in the second half of the 20th century, and today its products are internationally known for their high quality, which also allowed them to win numerous prizes throughout the years.

Az. Agricola Mandranova
92020 Palma di Montechiaro (AG)
Coordinate GPS
200737°09′55.12″ N – 13°48′23.79″
Sicily – Italy
Mandranova website

«Without Sicily, Italy Creates No Image In The Soul: Here Is The Key To Everything» (J.W.Goethe, “Viaggio in Italia”, 1817)

Sicily is one of the two main Italian islands, a land where every province, city and corner is unique. This extraordinary heterogeneity is also recognisable in the gastronomic products (i.e. wines, tomatoes, citrus, eggplants and many delicious recipes) which make the island famous all over the world. Discover other regions.

The Giarraffa cultivar is a Sicilian speciality with a very ancient origin dating back to a few centuries before Christ. live oils made with Giarraffa have characteristic scents of green almond, artichoke and green tomato, with hints of fruit or leaves balanced by a medium-low bitterness and a pungency sensation. Discover other cultivars.