THE CRUS FROM OUR TERRITORIES
Since its foundation, our company has also wanted to use the concept of cru in olive growing and the production of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). This concept originated in France a couple of centuries ago. We apply it in its most intensive meaning: an olive grove of a specific locality with its olive trees of specific varieties. For this reason, the names of all our EVOOs are composed according to the sequence: Grand Cru (or Cru) + name of the locality where the olive grove is located and the olive grove from which it originates. Almost all of our olive groves are located in the municipalities of Canino, Tessennano and Arlena di Castro in the province of Viterbo:
- CANINO:Mentioned for the first time in the ninth century in a document by Pope Leo IV, it boasts a much older origin: in fact, it belonged to the lucumonia of one of the most important Etruscan settlements Vulci, which between the seventh and fifth centuries B.C. enjoyed considerable economic prosperity and political prestige.The olive groves in this municipality are in the localities: Gioacchina, Musignano, Quaranta and Rubie.
- TESSENNANO:There is no certain information about its existence until the Middle Ages. According to legend, it was founded by Ascanius the son of Aeneas. It was probably of Etruscan origin and constituted in ancient times a post station along the road that connected Tuscania to Canino.Olive groves in this municipality are in the localities: Capo Terzo, Monte Freddo, Morone.
- ARLENA DI CASTRO:The agricultural center of the Volsini Mountains, located on the southwestern slope of the volcanic apparatus. Almost completely uninhabited and reduced to a Roccaccia, it was practically refounded in the second half of the 16th century at the behest of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, Juniore, (Valentano 1520 – Rome 1589, nephew of Pope Paul III).The olive grove in this municipality is in the locality of Spinicci.
These three municipalities are all in the plain, overlooking the sea where the cities of Tarquinia and Tuscania are also located, as well as where the city Vulci was. This plain was the birthplace of the Etruscan civilization over 3,000 years ago, which then fertilized the Latin civilization that gave rise to Rome. It is part of the so-called Alta Tuscia.
