Bruzio (extra virgin olive oil)

History and origin

According to the specification summary, olive growing reached the Cosenza area in the age of Magna Graecia and developed over the following centuries into one of the most important activities of the province's farm economy.

The denomination, registered as a PDO in 1997, holds together very different landscapes: this is why the specification provides for four additional geographical mentions, each with its own varieties and profile. Fascia Prepollinica, Valle Crati, Colline Joniche Presilane and Sibaritide are four ways of reading olive growing in the province of Cosenza, as their names suggest: from the hills at the foot of the Pollino to the plain of Sibari.

The consortium for the protection and promotion of Bruzio oil is based in Cariati Marina, on the Ionian coast of the Cosenza province.

Sources: Qualigeo — Bruzio DOP · eAmbrosia — Bruzio (PDO-IT-1518)

Area and method of production

The olives are grown and milled in several municipalities of the province of Cosenza, while packing may take place anywhere in the province. The varieties are Tondina, Carolea, Grossa di Cassano and Rossanese, in different proportions according to the mention.

Fascia Prepollinica uses at least 50% Tondina, with up to 20% Grossa di Cassano and up to 30% Carolea. Valle Crati at least 50% Carolea, with up to 30% Tondina and up to 20% Rossanese. Colline Joniche Presilane at least 70% Rossanese. Sibaritide at least 70% Grossa di Cassano, with up to 30% Tondina.

Harvest begins as the olives start to ripen and ends on 31 December or 15 January, depending on the variety; milling must take place within two days of picking.

Sources: Qualigeo — Bruzio DOP

How to recognise it

Each mention has its own character. Fascia Prepollinica is green with yellow glints, with a medium fruity aroma and fruity taste. Valle Crati ranges from green to yellow, again with medium fruitiness. Colline Joniche Presilane is golden yellow with green glints, delicately fruity with a hint of sweet almond. Sibaritide is yellow with a few green glints, lightly fruity with a slight bitter note.

The specification sets maximum acidity at between 0.7 and 0.8 grams per 100 grams depending on the mention, a panel test score of at least 6.5 and total polyphenols of no less than 200 parts per million.

The label shows the name Bruzio, the words Protected Designation of Origin, the sub-zone, the EU symbol and the olive harvest year. The pack, glass or tin of up to five litres, carries a guarantee seal with a unique alphanumeric code.

Sources: Qualigeo — Bruzio DOP

In the kitchen

Bruzio is a delicately aromatic oil, and the product sheet recommends it for dressing boiled vegetables, grilled fish and salads, as well as an ingredient in the pasta dishes of Calabrian cooking.

Like any extra virgin oil it spoils easily: it should be kept cool, between 14 and 18 degrees, away from light, heat and strong-smelling foods, and ideally used within four to six months of pressing.

Sources: Qualigeo — Bruzio DOP

Where to taste it

The four mentions are also four itineraries in the province of Cosenza. In the upper Crati Valley, around Bisignano, Italia.it describes hills planted with vineyards and olive groves, dotted with historic farmsteads, oil mills and wineries, along the road that climbs towards the Sila Greca and Lake Cecita.

Towards the Ionian, Rossano lies between the Sila mountains and the coast: it is the «Byzantine Pearl» of Calabria, with the Codex Purpureus Rossanensis and its Byzantine churches, and it is part of our Corigliano-Rossano destination; the name of the Rossanese variety, the basis of Colline Joniche Presilane, recalls this very town. Further north, the plain of Sibari combines the olive groves of the Sibaritide with the Archaeological Park and the National Archaeological Museum of the Sibaritide, at Terranova da Sibari.

Fascia Prepollinica, as the name says, looks instead to the hills at the foot of the Pollino: visitors to our Pollino destination meet it on their way down from the mountains.

Sources: Italia.it — Itinerario dalla Valle del Crati alla Sila Greca · Italia.it — Alla scoperta dell'Alto Ionio Cosentino · Qualigeo — Bruzio DOP

Protection

• Protected designation of origin (PDO) — PDO-IT-1518 (eAmbrosia — Bruzio (PDO-IT-1518))

When

• The sources consulted give no months.

Where

Calabria