Learn about the challenges that 2021 brought to olive oil producers in Tuscany and how we addressed them at Arsenio SRL.
2021 was a big breakthrough for Arsenio SRL with the launch of our new line - ORA. However, this year was not easy for olive oil producers in Tuscany.
Unpredictable weather patterns
“This year the total harvest in Tuscany yielded only 40% of the 2020 harvest. It rained when it was not supposed to and didn't rain when we needed it” - shares our founder Arsen Khachaturyants
Due to the highly unpredictable weather patterns in Tuscany in 2021, including unusually heavy rain and hail when not expected, the process of olive fruit development was disturbed. This altered the timing of harvest of certain olive varieties, making olive oil production more challenging.
How did we address the weather challenges at Arsenio?
The solution to the drop in the yield of oil per olive fruit is reflected in the name of our new line of 2021 - "ORA". In latin ora means "on the edge", which represents our expansion as the olives for this line come not only from the top of the hill, but from the edges of Tuscany. All our olives grow in 100% organic conditions to maximize their naturally bountiful flavor profile.
Gastronomic Approach: Vintage Collection
Arsenio SRL stands out from most extra virgin olive oil producers. Our mission is to demonstrate to the world that extra virgin olive oil, just like premium wine, has vintage variation. This means that the flavor profile for each variety of olive changes from harvest to harvest. To represent the vintage collection, we present our monocultivar lines: Leccino, Leccio del Corno, Frantoio and Moraiolo cultivars. For a unique gastronomic journey, appreciate the variation within each vintage collection every year.
Birth of Two Blends
“Together with top olive oil sommeliers, we had developed two families of blends: Blend Delicato & Blend Corposo. This means that our production will satisfy any preference - those who like a gentle flavor and those who like some spice. ”
Due to a large quantity of blended harvest (coming from different varieties of olive trees), we organized a special meeting of certified olive oil sommeliers at our headquarters in Florence and developed two combinations of blends. Blend "delicato" translates as a "delicate" blend and is the best choice for anyone who likes a soft, gentle flavor, while blend "corposo" translates as "strong" and is the best selection for anyone who enjoys the bitterness of the oil.