Amidst the undulations of manicured hills dotted only with grand estates and cypress-lined driveways, Tuscany is hiding liquid gold. Bright yellow with a fruity aroma, Tuscan extra virgin oils have a reputation that precedes them.
A single estate can hold as many as 40,000 groves, and the region is covered with privately owned properties. As such, Tuscany has become synonymous with olive oil and romantic escapes — somewhere to admire the uniformed groves and sample world-class produce. It even has its own DOP (Protected Designation of Origin), stipulating that Tuscan oils must be made here.
This guide will whisk readers through the ultimate how-to of sampling this specialty product. When it comes to olive oil tasting, Tuscany is of its own caliber. Here’s how to plan a trip and catch its oils in their best light.
Types of Olive Oil Tasting Experiences in Tuscany
Not all tasting experiences are made equal. In fact, not even the olives are restricted to a single variety. Tuscany has a germplasm of 119 olive variations, all of which differ in their taste, appearance, and harvesting requirements.
There’s Quercetano, with its oval shapes, and Frantoio, which is slightly bitter-tasting. You’d need a lifetime to taste them all — staggering trips to Tuscany throughout its seasons to catch the different harvests. Generally speaking, though, these are the main three:
- Leccino: Slightly spiced
- Frantoio: A bit bitter
- Moraiolo: A little eggplant-y
On guided tastings, experts line up sippable samples, explaining each oil’s unique qualities and distinctions. Depending on trip timings, it might also be possible to see the olives being picked or pressed.
Olive oil tasting in Tuscany is the ultimate experience. Here are the types of experiences that visitors might secure:
- Group tours booked through third parties like Viator or GetYourGuide
- Private tours booked through Viator or GetYourGuide
- Tasting experiences and tours booked directly through oil-producing estates
- Cooking classes utilizing Tuscan-grown oils
- Production workshops
- Independent purchasing of oils to sample later
The depth of tourist experiences is vastly more rewarding when sampling oils for yourself. However, it’s equally necessary to highlight the value of a grove visit without samples. The views and knowledge alone are nothing to scoff at; learning about the processes is fascinating.
A view of olive groves alone is beautiful and a chance for natural and cultural immersion. Some Tuscany luxury villas even have infinity pools — imagine that. Get creative with your oil experiences in Tuscany; it’s not one-size-fits-all.
Best Places for Olive Oil Tasting in Tuscany
Tuscany is inherently food-driven. The rolling hills and old money estates are spectacular to look at, but even better for the stomach. The region splits into ten provinces in total, and it has such a strong sense of identity that some nickname it a “nation within a nation.” Rather than visiting blindly, tailoring trips to specific oil-renowned destinations is the most advisable course of action. Don’t visit Pisa when you could visit Gaiole in Chianti.
These are the leading destinations for the best olive oil tasting Tuscany has available.
1. Chianti
Mountainous Chianti is the oil destination that springs instantly to every connoisseur’s mind. Straddling the provinces of Arezzo, Siena, and Florence, it has patchwork groves of olives and vineyards. Yes, you read that right; Chianti also has some of the best Tuscany wine tours, with a talent for reds. Olives and wine are an unbeatable combination, and Chianti is best experienced from either Castellina or Gaiole.
2. Etruscan Coast
Contrary to the countryside stereotype, Tuscany actually has a glorious coastline. Balance beach days with bucket-list tasting experiences. The Etruscan Coast sits on the shores between Livorno and Piombino and is the famous home of the Wine and Olive Oil Trail. This 150km stretch encapsulates quintessential Tuscan agriculture, with groves and organized tasting experiences galore.
3. Val d’Orcia
Imagine sipping olive oil samples within a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Val d’Orcia’s gentle, hilled terrain is broken by medieval castles and offers some of the highest-quality extra virgin olive oil tasting in Tuscany. Visit Montenero d’Orcia or Felsina to see this destination in its best light.
4. Lunigiana
Among the accolades of UNESCO-recognized territory, Lunigiana is another notable region, this time at the center of a Biosphere Reserve. It encompasses ancient Luni — a former Roman settlement — and retains fiercely protected traditions, including chestnut picking and olive oil production.
Best Olive Oil Tasting Tours in Tuscany
If the Tuscan regions have such distinct variations, it’s hardly surprising that the tours differ. The estates dotted across Tuscany each have their own backstory and oil-related traditions. Some have been handed protectively down through generations, and many still utilize original techniques like hand-picking entire groves to avoid damaging their precious fruits.
Within the Tuscan oil industry, an intensive emphasis on quality creates a competitive culture and stark contrasts in practices. Tour operators take different approaches, and there are hundreds of choices. Narrow it down; here are the best olive oil tasting Tuscany offers.
1. Frantoio Pruneti
Address: Via dell’ Oliveto, 24, 50022, San Polo In Chianti FL, Italy
Why visit: Flavors and fun
Frantoio Pruneti provides a delightfully immersive insight into the world of olive oil production. The tours range from simplistic tastings, with sensory analysis sheets to jot down findings, to sneak peeks into the modernized machinery behind its magic. Taste the produce, understand the process, and sample some oil-based cocktails (if you’re feeling particularly open-minded).
2. Azienda Olearia del Chianti
Address: Via degli Artigiani, 17, 50022, Panzano In Chianti FL, Italy
Why visit: Modernized processing and interesting olive oil science
Situated in gorgeous Chianti, this estate was founded in 1985 and is ideally located for those based in Florence or Siena. Ultra-scientific, visitors can listen in awe at the ridiculously thorough process in which grove workers uphold oil quality. Did you know that it undergoes chemical testing?
3. Gonnelli 1585
Address: Via Piero della Francesca, snc, 50066, Reggello Fl, Italy
Why visit: A historical setting with insightful tours
Gonnelli is among Tuscany’s most culturally illustrious places to visit. It dates back to 1585, approximately the same era in which Shakespeare became a playwright. That sort of history is best experienced in person.
Gonnelli has two oil mills: Vertine and Santa Téa. These host regular tours, presenting pressing techniques and revealing industry secrets to intrigued tourists.
4. Fattoria La Vialla
Address: Via di Meliciano, 26, 52029, Castiglion Fibocchi, AR, Italy
Why visit: Eco-sustainable and biodynamic olive oils
Fattoria La Vialla is a stunning stone farm set down an iconic driveway — stereotypically flanked by cypress trees. The estate utilizes eco-sustainable and biodynamic agricultural methods. Enjoy a free tour (with complimentary wine and oil tasting), with optional purchases in a gift shop afterward. For anyone conscious of consuming solely organic goods, Fattoria La Vialla emerges amongst the best oil tasting tours in Tuscany.
When to Go for Olive Oil Tasting in Tuscany
A delicate shift in coloring signals to ever-watchful owners that their grove is ready for harvest. Pluck the fruits too soon? It risks bitter-tasting yields. Too late? The overripeness is squishy and lackluster on the taste buds. Instead, the precarious (yet perfect) balance promises olives that taste robust — earning that “extra virgin” grade and DOP. Experts understand the importance of picking those olives at precisely the right time.
Unfortunately, there is a caveat when deciding the optimal time for olive oil tasting in Tuscany. Nobody knows exactly when that color shift will occur.
Olive harvest generally occurs between late October and November. However, multiple external factors dictate this exact window, including the weather patterns of that specific season. Excessive heat or rainfall can all slant that timeframe; grove workers remain reactive and observant around this time.
For incredible oil-tasting experiences, visit Tuscany from late October through to November. The longer that trip is extended, the higher the likelihood of catching the harvest at its most exciting. Leccinos are typically plucked first, so early birds will spot at least one variety being collected for processing.
Combining Olive Oil Tasting with Other Activities
Olive oil plays a considerable role in Tuscany’s cultural and economic makeup. There is no denying the importance of prioritizing an oil-tasting experience; it embraces authentic Italian cuisine from a raw and agricultural level.
With that said, it’s essential to consider the alternative opportunities Tuscany has available to its visitors. Perhaps that unpredictable harvest slot is delayed. Or maybe you’re traveling with someone who isn’t partial to the flavor of olives (if you haven’t heard of the Olive Theory, that’s actually good news).
Regardless, a versatile itinerary is a fulfilling itinerary. Here are the alternative activities that discerning travelers might wish to pair alongside a traditional oil tasting.
1. Road Trip
With those dramatically unfurling roads, is it any wonder that Tuscany frequently ranks amongst Italy’s most sought-after road-trip territory? Drive through Chianti or Val D’Orcia, Arezzo or the Etruscan Coast. Getting behind the wheel is one of the most liberating methods of accessing awe-inspiring scenery. It enables more intimate experiences by allowing you to book private oil tastings and tours directly through estates.
Forget third-party providers and shuttle services. There’s an abundance of car rentals across Italy, especially when flying into major cities like Pisa.
2. Cycling
Cycling Tuscany can be as challenging or simple as your calves and quads allow. Adventurously active tourists regularly bike the width of the region, stopping at estates en route. However, it isn’t exclusively an activity for slow-packing Tuscany; bikes are an immersive way to explore small towns and villages. Not at your most athletic? Compromise with an electric bike for added assistance up those typical Tuscan hills.
3. Cooking Classes
As briefly mentioned earlier, cooking classes pair perfectly with oil tastings throughout Tuscany. These experiential foodie activities allow visitors to embrace traditional ingredients (like olive oil) while learning a new skill. Pay attention, and recreate the dish at home for an impressive dinner party.
4. Truffle Hunting
For those jetting to Tuscany and coinciding their trip with the region’s olive harvest, there’s an additional surprise. Are you aware that tartufo bianco and dark winter truffles ripen between November and March?
Truffle hunting in Tuscany is a rewarding foraging experience, and many luxurious resorts and tours offer a food-to-table approach. Alternate between oil tastings and truffle hunts — it’s enough to prompt an instantaneous booking.
5. Horse Riding
Equestrians thrive on stunning Tuscan terrain. Those steadily sloped hills are dreamy spaces for an extended canter or thrilled gallop. The region has an abundance of privately owned stables, with specialist tour operators pairing guests with a steed to explore Tuscany more traditionally. Book a single or multi-day horseback tour to appreciate the olive groves and beautiful surroundings from a slightly different perspective.