Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane PDO olive oil

Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane PDO oil is an extra virgin olive oil with Protected Designation of Origin, recognised by the European Union in 2003 (Reg. CE 1491/2003). It is made from olives grown in the area defined by the specification, mainly of the Leccino, Frantoio and Dritta varieties.

To carry the PDO mark the oil must follow precise rules on varieties, harvest, milling and characteristics, checked by an independent body.

The production area covers the hills around Teramo, in the province of Teramo. It covers 23 whole municipalities and 17 in part. The climate, between the Adriatic and the Gran Sasso, has wide temperature swings; the name recalls the Praetutii, the ancient people of this land. Leccino, Frantoio and Dritta make up to 75% of the olives; the rest comes from local varieties such as Tortiglione, Carboncella and Castiglionese.

• Atri
• Bisenti
• Cermignano
• Controguerra
• Sant’Omero
• Torano Nuovo
• Teramo
• Giulianova
• Pineto
• Roseto degli Abruzzi
• Silvi
• Tortoreto

1. In autumn, between October and December, the olives are picked straight from the tree, by hand or with harvesting aids.
2. They are taken to the mill in ventilated crates, without piling them up.
3. They are milled within a few days so the olives do not ferment.
4. The oil is separated from the paste by mechanical extraction, without chemical treatment.
5. It is stored away from light and heat and bottled with the PDO mark.

A good extra virgin oil is best appreciated raw: a drizzle is enough to lift simple dishes.

• Bruschetta of country bread with new oil and a pinch of salt
• On pulses, soups and boiled vegetables
• On grilled meat, such as arrosticini, and on fish
• In traditional desserts and in preserves under oil

• Check the label for the PDO mark and the harvest year.
• Keep it in a cool, dark place, away from the stove, in dark glass bottles or tins.
• Use it within 12–18 months of the harvest: it loses aroma over time.
• Taste it neat on a piece of bread: it should taste of fresh olives, with balanced bitterness and pungency.

The image is an illustration drawn for abruzzoparchi.it: we could not find free photos showing the Abruzzo product itself. If you have a photo to share, write to us.

Olive trees have been grown on the Abruzzo hills since ancient times: the mills, once driven by animals or water, were the centre of village life during the harvest months.

Many families still take the olives from their own trees to the mill, and the November harvest is a celebration: the first oil is tasted on toasted bread.