Villa Stabbia

The Olive Oils of Villa Stabbia

"Villa Stabbia" is a family run estate in Tuscany, with three generations of the Marchi Bartolozzi family involved in the production of low acid, full-flavored extra virgin olive oil. For years the farm has followed the principles of organic agriculture and has produced oils of remarkably high quality.

The oil is sold outside Italy only to a few discerning retailers in Scandinavia and, in the USA, exclusively to The Organic Olive Oil Company!

The olives, from 4 traditional Tuscan varieties, are carefully handpicked from the trees; unlike on more commercial farms, where machines are used. At the mill, bad fruit is removed, to guarantee the best possible taste and smell of this wonderful oil. This careful blend results in a remarkably balanced and delicately fragranced oil, slightly fruity and, when fresh, it has a touch of peppery after-taste that disappears after a bit.

The oil at Villa Stabbia is produced at an exceptionally modern stainless steel facility, using a hammer mill and centrifuge, within just a few hours of the harvest. It is rare that a small estate such as Villa Stabbia would have such fine equipment - but it is one of the many explanations for the quality of their oil.

For details on the production, please visit:
www.villastabbia.it/Eng/Olive-Oil-Made-At-Villa-Stabbia.htm

The oil is extremely low in oleic acid, but high in polyphenols.

Rich and fruity! Healthy and full flavoured!

Villa Stabbia produces exceptional low acid, organic extra virgin Olive Oil - some of the finest in Italy. The family farm produces a cornucopia of exquisite organic products; fruits, vegetables, even grapes for red wine.

The result is fantastic flavor!

The Extra Virgin, Organic Olive oil from Villa Stabbia comes in two sizes: 500 ml bottle and 250 ml.

The oil is very low in acidity, and exceptionally high in polyphenols.

Those who are accustomed to "store-bought" olive oils may be somewhat "unsettled" by the Villa Stabbia... in a positive way! It is very much like the rich, full-flavored oil from Sicily that our customers have come to love.

Tuscany, in northern Italy, is the world's most famous olive oil producing area.

In the cultivated hilly area of Pistoia, between Florence and Pisa, the Marchi Bartolozzi family at Villa Stabbia has produced organic extra virgin olive oil of exceptional quality for decades. 

Unlike many other producers, the target is not to produce an oil for the commercial end of the market but rather, to make an exceptionally fine extra virgin olive oil, by following the principles of organic agriculture.

Olive production has always been an integral part of the agriculture at Villa Stabbia. Back in 1990, the family took the first step towards organic agriculture, by concentrating on the parasite activity; attacking them only when required, and not as traditionally dictated by the calendar. 

The next and final step was to totally remove the usage of chemical products. The grass is mechanically cut and used as fertilizer along with other organic compost. The leftovers from harvesting and pruning are useful to fight parasites. Even the remains from the oil pressing are composted and returned to the soil.

The resulting pure and complex olive oil at Villa Stabbia is the product of olives picked from trees that have been organically grown for ages.

Our organic trees:
Just as fine wines are made from a vast variety of grapes that determine their flavor, so are fine olive oils also made from a vast variety of olives that produce distinct differences in flavor. Some oils are made from a single fruit. Other more complex oils are made from several types of olives. The actual proportions that make a specific oil unique are a closely guarded secret.

At Villa Stabbia, the following four traditional Tuscan olive tree varieties are grown:

	Frantoio - The tree is widely cultivated due to its high and constant productivity and for the excellent oil quality. The high quality oil is tasty and aromatic.
	Leccino - A self-sterile tree with a high and constant production, with early and even ripening. The oil has a fine spicy taste.
	Moraiolo - The tree has a high oil yield, and its oil is appreciated for its high squalene content.
	Pendolino - The tree is mainly cultivated as the pollinator, but has a high and constant productivity, with reasonably early, even fruit ripening. Oil yield is medium high, the oil is appreciated for organoleptic properties.

"After spending more than 12 years in the petroleum industry (as a geologist and geophysicist), working and living in various countries around the globe, we felt the need to settle down, to improve the quality of our lives and to focus on what was important to us; a happy and healthy family life.

Having two children (at the time 2 and 4 years of age), we did not want them to grow up rootless, lacking a national culture (being of mixed origin to start with) and having to change schools every two or three years. Children need stability and we decided to give them this by moving back to the family farm, Villa Stabbia, in August 2002.

Here at Villa Stabbia, our children can live and grow up in harmony with nature, with the actual presence of their parents and in contact with the older generation. The farm consists of several houses, where Nonna and Nonno (Italian for grandmother and grandfather) live on one side and Mormor (Danish for grandmother) lives on the other side.

The organic principle has always been an integral part of the way Villa Stabbia has been run, with it being close to self-sufficient with vegetables and fruits. Although the farm has been organically driven for many years, we decided to get it certified in 2002.

Although organic farming is more expensive and yields a smaller production, it is vital to our philosophy of living a simple life, follow the true rhythm of nature whilst preserving our environment for future generations."