| Producer | Accademia Olearia |
| Crop Year | 2019/2020 |
| Cultivar | Bosana, Semidana |
| Region | Sardinia |
| Harvesting method | – |
| Extraction Method | Continuous |
| Tasted on | May 2020 |
Sardinia lands have been dedicated to olive cultivation for millennia, and we can only be happy that especially in recent times this vocation has also been a synonym of high quality. Gran Riserva Giuseppe Fois is a perfect example of this union – it is obtained in limited quantities choosing the olives from a thorough selection of the fruits from specific cultivars; the harvest is carried out at the very start of veraison, and the transformation in oil is carried out immediately, in a continuous cycle plant, by cold extraction (read on their website).
Gran Riserva Giuseppe Fois aromas are very “green”, with green vegetable notes matching hints of jasmine and notes of juicy green apple.
The explosion of a subtle pungency in the throat during the tasting is a tangible sign of a high quality product rich in polyphenols, and suggests its combination with different white meat preparations (e.g. with pork), stuffed pasta, pasta with tomato sauce, fish preparations (e.g. tuna steak) and, why not, pizza or vegetables!
Appearance & Visual Analysis
Gran Riserva Giuseppe Fois EVOO presents itself in all its brightness – vivid lemon yellow colour with abounding green highlights.
Scents & Olfactory analysis
Thistle Green Olive Olive Leaf Rocket Green Almond Jasmine Granny Smith Apple Mint Pink Pepper Fennel Artichoke Grass
On the nose, Gran Riserva Giuseppe Fois EVOO has medium intensity and charming perfumes. Its mix of aromas is mainly composed of green vegetable notes such as those of thistle, artichoke, fresh wet grass, green olives, fennel, rocket and almond; it also has delicate hints of flowers (e.g. jasmine) or fruit such as juicy Granny Smith apple. Spicy and balsamic tones of fresh mint and pink pepper complete the picture.
Tasting: Aromas & Flavours
Pungency
Bitterness
Artichoke Green Almond Green Olive Chicory Black Pepper White Pepper
In the gustatory analysis, Gran Riserva Giuseppe Fois EVOO is characterized by its delicate flavors of green olives, almond, artichoke, chicory, its spicy notes of white and black pepper, and a fresh feeling of cleanness in the aftertaste. After a few seconds from the tasting, Gran Riserva Giuseppe Fois will surprise you with an explosion of gorgeous pungency in the throat.
We love it with…
Gran Riserva Giuseppe Fois is the perfect olive oil for pasta dishes, white meat, vegetables, pizza and fish preparations – that is because this EVOO does not cover the taste of your preparations, but adds a pleasant and perfect a pungency tone to them when added a crudo, after cooking.
Do you want to try it with pasta? Follow our homemade tomato sauce recipe and enrich it with Gran Riserva Giuseppe Fois EVOO! And if you are a fan of potato recipes, you can try culurgiones, a Sardinian fresh pasta preparation filled with potatoes and pecorino: we tried Gran Riserva Giuseppe Fois with homemade culurgiones and added it to the preparation of the filling, sauce and also added it after cooking, and it really helped to both preserve the flavor of the tomato in the sauce, and to give a beautiful pungent note to the finished dish.
Do you prefer meat? Use it with white meat such as chicken or, even better, pork; we suggest you to discover the Sardinian recipe of porceddu (roasted suckling piglet) or porchetta, which can be traditionally prepared in various ways (porchetta can be mainly found in Lazio, Abruzzo, Umbria and Tuscany, each region having its own recipe for it).
Gran Riserva Giuseppe Fois is also ideal for vegetarian preparations of mixed soups and grilled vegetables or added on top of medium-hard cheeses such as the Pecorino Sardo. You can also try this EVO on pizza – it is ideal on tomato-based pizzas such as Margherita with buffalo mozzarella, Marinara, or the Ortolana, made with mixed vegetables.
In combination with grilled fish such as grilled squid or tuna steak, Gran Riserva Giuseppe Fois will really help you to enrich the taste of the dish.
Accademia Olearia
“The Fois family’s 100+ years of experience and its tireless passion for the prized fruit of the olive tree ensure a unique, unmistakable product. For four generations, the family has been cultivating, harvesting and processing olives in the groves surrounding the city of Alghero. The favourable climate, selective cultivation of the olive trees and expert processing operations are combined with a modern olive-press and constant monitoring of all the parameters to give rise to the renowned, fruit-laden extra-virgin olive oil made by the Giuseppe Fois “Accademia Olearia” (Olive Oil Academy).” (https://www.accademiaolearia.com/en/).
The farm consists of more than 200 hectares of land with over 25.000 olive trees, with the predominant cultivar being the Bosana variety; for their EVOOs, the Fois enrich the characteristic notes and quality of their olive oils by selecting other native and national cultivars to add to the Bosana.
The harvest of the olives is carried out by mechanical means, with the fruits being picked up directly from the trees, and just before the moment of full maturation. The harvesting takes place from mid-October to the end of December. The olives are pressed in a modern plant which works at a continuous cycle, and the product is grinded within 12 hours from the harvesting. With all their love and care for the olive trees, the constant control of temperature (which goes never higher than 27° C) during the pressing , the precise timing of extraction, and the highest possible standard of FOOD SAFETY and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) applied to the procedure, the Fois family guarantees the high quality of their extra virgin olive oils, characterized by an intense fruity freshness balanced by aromas of different fruits and vegetables.
Accademia Olearia srl
Località Ungias – Galantè
07041 Alghero (SS)
Sardinia – Italy
Accademia Olearia Website
Terroir & Region
Sardinia
The territory of Sardinia is so diverse that the island has been defined as a “micro-continent”, with travellers falling in love with the region’s wild mountains, the woods and valleys which hide precious remains of the Nuragic civilization, the beautiful sandy beaches as well as the rocky ones which fall into the crystal sea. Going to Sardinia, you will be fascinated by the wide presence of millenials olive trees located in the red soils of the inner part of the island, as well as near the coastline. Discover other regions.
Cultivar / Olive Variety
Bosana, Semidana
The Sardinian cultivar of Bosana is one of the most cultivated varieties across the whole island, but it can be especially found in the central-northern area of the island, around Sassari and in the surroundings of Oristano. Bosana is also used as table olive, but it is in the Sardinia PDO that expresses its best qualities, its elegant and characteristic notes of bitterness and pungency.
The Sardinian Semidana cultivar can be mainly found in the central-southern area of the island, around Oristano. The name Semidana is reminiscent of the “Semidas”, the ancient walkways which crossed the olive groves. Semidana has a late ripening, it is resistant to main external agents, and has a good oil yield; its bitterness and pungency tones are balanced.
Discover other Italian olive cultivars.