Nocellara del Belice
The Nocellara del Belice is a highly esteemed cultivar and is probably one of the most valued among the autochthonous Sicilian varieties.
OLIVE VARIETIES AND HISTORY
In the southwestern coast of Sicily, located in the heart of the Belice Valley, all around Castelvetrano, the lands have been cultivated with olive trees since ancient times, even before the columns of Selinunte in the 17th century BC. A landscape that has seen the archaeological splendor of civilizations that have known how to tame nature in the surroundings of the Belice River Valley and beyond.
HEALTH
According to the opinion of the EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority: "Extra virgin olive oil is a food that naturally contains vitamin E, known to protect the cells of the human body from oxidative damage." "Replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats contained in extra virgin olive oil can help maintain normal LDL cholesterol levels in the blood." "The polyphenols in olive oil can combat oxidative stress" or "have antioxidant effects" or "improve fat metabolism" or "protect the LDL fraction from oxidative damage."
CLIMATE
Our olive groves are located in the city of Castelvetrano, in the province of Trapani, at a distance of 6 km from the sea on the southwestern coast of Sicily. The climate is warm and temperate with long summers, significant maximum rainfall in winter and low rainfall in summer, with an average annual precipitation of 500 mm and an average temperature of 17.2 °C. According to the USDA soil taxonomy for xeric moisture regimes.
HARVESTING
Depending on the climate and season, various factors contribute to the phenological performance of olive trees. Each year has its own story. We evaluate when is the best time to harvest the olives. Handpicked in wooden baskets and kept in a cool place in perforated crates weighing 21 kg, the olives are sent to the mill on the same day.
MILLING
Starting from high-quality fruits and leaving the fields, the olives are milled within 12 hours of harvesting. At the mill, they are weighed, deleafed, washed with fresh water, ground and grated at less than 28 °C for about 30 minutes, and then sent for the separation of the oily must in a 2-phase decanter and oil extraction.
STORAGE
The extracted olive oil is pumped into AISI 316L stainless steel silos in a nitrogen atmosphere and left to settle. It is then either decanted into other clean silos or filtered to preserve its organoleptic properties for an even longer time before being packaged on request for customers.
THE ART OF MAKING OIL
The experience of extracting extra virgin olive oil in this area reaches recognized excellence worldwide. We believe that selecting the best and healthy fruits, washing them, deleafing them, and cold extraction are essential for superior quality productions. The oils selected by Valmore are stored in medium-sized stainless steel silos with high food standards, controlled temperature, and under a nitrogen atmosphere to preserve freshness and protect the oil from oxidation. This way we maintain the unique flavor of our extra virgin oils for connoisseurs.
With love for centuries of Sicilian history, tradition, and culture.
