Molisan Olive Oil

While one of Italy’s smallest provinces, Molise has been an important olive producing region since Roman times. Many texts dating back to this period specifically mention the high quality of olive oil from this area. Molise has coastline on Italy's east coast along the Adriatic Sea and its lands connect the provinces of Lazio and Puglia. Once forming a province with Abruzzo, Molise became Italy's newest province in 1970, with its regional capital in Campobasso. The average annual olive oil production in Molise is around 3000 tons. One of the signature olive oil producers from Molise is Marina Colonna, whose family has been farming the same lands since the 1800s. The area has about fifteen native olive cultivars, with primary production featuring Coratina and Peranzana. Other common varieties farmed include Frantoio, Leccino, Cima Di Melfi, Fs17, Nocellara, Bella di Cerignola and Kalamata.