The rapidly growing legend of Marco Viola's award-winning Umbria olive oils rests on this, his most prestigious selection. Paul Ferrari presents this exquisite duet for the tasting.

Paul searched Umbria's most hallowed olive presses for years in pursuit of importing the finest olive oils from all twenty Italian regions.

To listen to 4th generation farmer and olive oil producer Marco Viola explain his passion for his craft is to understand the deeply entwined relationship that Italy's most passionate artisans have with their land and their devotion to preserving timeless traditions in the name of quality.

"I am proud to say I am a farmer," proclaims Marco, "I have my roots in the land which I deeply love because it is from it that I have received all that I know and possess."

Yet the truest expression of his passion is found not in his words but in his finest extra virgin olive oil, the Colleruita DOP Umbria Colli Assisi Spoleto. In the terraced 150 year-old groves first cultivated by his great-grandparents Biagio and Lucina, Marco harvests limited quantities of three locally esteemed olive varietals -- Leccino, Moraiolo and Frantoio. The Viola's groves are situated up to 1450 ft. above sea level and slope steeply, mandating that their olives be harvested exclusively by hand.

The resulting extra virgin olive oil is classically Umbrian: round and fruity with a harmonious balance of bitterness and pungency. Emerald green in color and equally green in its nose, its balanced palate is accented pleasantly with a piquant peppery grip in its finish.

Slow Food's guide to Italian olive oils lauds Il Sincero as expressing, "three fundamental elements at their best: character, intensity and richness. [It imparts] an intense olive aroma with the clear herbaeous traces and intense notes of green apple, artichoke and bay leaves....A rich full body and the flavor is increasingly intense with a well-balanced expression of lingering bitter and peppery tones on the finish."

In June 2006, at Rome's famed "Banco d'Assagio" tasting, where Italy's finest regional products are rated, Viola's Colleruita was prized as Umbria's finest. This followed its being honored with Italy's top olive oil recognition, the Ercole Olivario, and being named "One of Italy's top ten olive oils" by the esteemed annual food and wine guide Il Golossario.

Harvest date: 2005/2006