Thank you to Az. Agricola Virzì for sending us their Lapillo EVOO.
| Producer | Az. Agr. Virzì |
| Crop Year | 2019/2020 |
| Cultivar | Nocellara Etnea 100% |
| Region | Sicily (Messina) |
| Harvesting Method | Handpicking |
| Extraction Method | Continuous |
| Milling | Within 6 hours of collection |
| Certification | Bio – Organic |
| Tasted on | May 2020 |
A lapillo is a small fragment of material which falls out of the air during a volcanic eruption; what better name to give to an organic extra virgin olive oil which comes directly from the Etna area? Lapillo EVOO is really worth its name! Just like lava or ashes – which hide live fire under their stillness – Lapillo EVO Oil, at first perceived as soft and delicate to the nose and taste, eventually explodes in a pleasant and prolonged pungency sensation in the mouth. This characteristic makes Lappillo perfect in combination to… well, read our article to find it out!
Also read our review of “L’olio di casa Virzì” and “Sololio“.
Appearance & Visual Analysis
The oil is of a deep colour, a perfect mix between lemon yellow and honey, with some green highlights visible in each drop.
Scents & Olfactory analysis
Green Tomato Red Tomato Walnut Green Almond Grass Artichoke Fennel Sage
In the olfactory analysis, Lapillo immediately enthrals you with scents of green and red tomatoes; these tones of flavour are then joined by scents of walnut, green almond, cut grass and a light artichoke aroma. This flavour bouquet is then enriched by aromatic hints of wild fennel and sage. All these perfumes gently fill your nose with a light-medium intensity.
Tasting: Aromas & Flavours
Pungency
Bitterness
Thistle Grass Green Almond Red Tomato White Pepper Marjoram
On the palate Lapillo feels delicate, expressing light hints of thistle, grass, almond, red tomato, white pepper and marjoram; these flavours are coherent with the scents detected in the olfactory analysis, and they well describe the soul of the Nocellara Etnea cultivar.
The bitterness of Lapillo is pleasantly light, enriched by a very long pungency sensation which keeps the memory of this EVOO’s flavour in the throat during the aftertaste.
We love it with…
Read how to pair food and EVOO in our article: Olive Oil Pairings.
Lapillo has a gentle flavour, yet its pungency will give a special sensation to your dishes; this characteristic makes Lapillo the perfect match to bruschetta with vegetables such as fresh tomatoes, grilled vegetables (e.g. courgettes, peppers, aubergines), bruschetta with peppers and eggs, Smithfield ham or Prague ham, or bruschetta with avocado, egg, lime and pink pepper. On all these bruschette, Lapillo will enhance the flavour structure of the dish, adding to their taste its elegant tomato notes.
Lapillo EVOO is also perfect on potato dishes: from mashed potatoes to tasty potato pies with mozzarella, provolone and ham, or on the classic potato salad; Lapillo adds to them elegant vegetable aromas and aromatic herbal tones which enriches the dish balance and tastiness.
However, we are sure to say that one of Lapillo’s best pairings is that with white meat – chicken, turkey, rabbit and pork; we suggest you to pair it with stuffed pork rolls or chicken rolls.
We decided to combine Lapillo with grilled chicken breast and thighs – it resulted in a perfect pairing, with Lapillo enriching the dish with notes of tomatoes, green vegetables and aromatic herbs which made the preparation tastier than you may think!
Az. Agricola Virzì
Azienda Agricola Virzì was established as a result and accomplishment of a heartfelt passion handed down from father to son for four generations. Love for nature and a strong connection with their land are the secrets of the company’s quality production, made in full respect of tradition, and aiming to the creation of a top-quality product. Azienda Agricola Virzì is located just a few kilometres from Bronte, in the contrada Bolo-Malamogliera, dominated by the sight of the Etna volcano.
The olive grove lies down on a hilly, sunny land, made of secular olive trees of the Nocellara etnea, Biancolilla and Ogliarola messinese varieties, cultivated in 100% biological agriculture – no pesticide or chemical fertilizer. The olives are handpicked at the correct degree of maturation, and grounded by “cold method” (so, mechanically pressed) within the 12 following hours.
AZIENDA AGRICOLA VIRZÌ
Contrada Bolo Malamogliera
98033 Cesarò (Me)
Sicily – Italy
Tel: +39 339 353 2435
+39 392 668 3570
Azienda Agricola Virzì Website
Terroir & Region
Sicily
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 the other regions.
Cultivar / Olive variety
Nocellara Etnea
Nocellara Etnea is a typical Sicilian cultivar also known as Augghialora, Paturnisa and Tortorella. It is mainly found in the areas around the Etna volcano. Nocellara Etnea is an auto-sterile cultivar, and so needs to be pollinated by other cultivars (i.e. Biancolilla and Moresca). Nocellara Etnea typically confers its EVOOs green tomato, herb, almond, thistle and artichoke flavours. Discover other cultivars.