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olive oil
Ripening and
harvest
The olives are generally harvested in
mid-November, though the exact date depends
upon the season. The November chill, which
is due to altitude, lengthens the period of
optimal ripeness for the olives, where are
therefore harvested when they are greener
and more flavorful than those of the other
Tuscan olive oil producing areas: The olives
are never too bitter nor too ripe, and this
improves the oil's organoleptic qualities.
The olives are traditionally harvested by
hand; the process, which is known as
brucatura, guarantees, when the olives are
healthy, a superior quality oil. The olives
drop onto netting laid out under the tree,
are gathered up, and are put into baskets.
The shorter the interval between picking and
pressing the better the oil, and in any case
the olives should not remain in their
baskets for more than 72 hours.
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