Bartolini Olive Oil from Umbria since 1850
Bartolini is a family-run oil mill from Arrone in Umbria, which has been pressing extra virgin olive oil for six generations since 1850. The Moraiolo, Leccino, and Frantoio varieties are used to create a medium-bodied, fruity, and fresh oil. At nur Gutes, you will find the Classico and the Olio Angeli in the retro tin.
Bartolini Olive Oil is Umbrian olive oil from a diversified farm with a long history. The mill is located in the medieval town of Arrone, in the green heart of Italy between Florence and Rome, where even the Etruscans once planted olive trees. What has been grown here since 1850 is an extra virgin olive oil with character, pressed by a family that has passed down the craft for six generations.
Since 1850 in the hills of Arrone
The story of Bartolini begins around 1850 with a small oil mill, the millstones of which were still set in motion by animals. Antonio Bartolini built it in a village near Arrone, pressed by hand using press mats, and skimmed the oil once it had separated from the vegetable water.
With the arrival of electricity around 1900 came the first major upgrade, as a motor replaced the animals. In 1932, Ulderico, the third generation, introduced a new system using a centrifuge, which cleanly separated the oil from the vegetable water and noticeably improved the quality. His sons, Delio and Domenico, expanded the olive groves and the production.
In 1979, Emilio, Delio's son, replaced the old mill with a modern system that performs all work steps without interruption. In this way, the small frantoio became one of the most respected mills in Umbria. Today, Domenico and Ulderico manage the business with their father, Emilio, representing the sixth generation and maintaining the same standards with which Antonio once began.
What has remained throughout all these years is the hand-harvesting, as labor-intensive as it is. Anyone driving through Arrone sees the olive groves standing on the slopes as they have grown for generations. The family has modernized without abandoning the core: gentle harvesting, rapid processing, cold pressing.
Three oils from three olive varieties
At nur Gutes, you will find three oils from Bartolini, all made from the Umbrian varieties Moraiolo, Leccino, and Frantoio. They differ in size and presentation, but not in the care put into them.
The extra virgin olive oil in the 250ml bottle is the small one for getting to know the brand, ideal for a one- or two-person household. The Classico in 500ml is the everyday companion for those who enjoy cooking often. Both are medium-bodied, fruity, and harmonious, with a subtle spiciness in the finish.
The Olio extra vergine Angeli comes in a light-protecting retro tin, has a herbaceous flavor, and makes for a popular gift. Thus, Bartolini olive oil covers everything from the small kitchen to the large pot and the gift table. The Bartolini collection shows all three at a glance.
Hand-harvested, cold-pressed
Bartolini is a diversified agricultural operation that, in addition to olive oil, cultivates grains and legumes and keeps cattle. However, the oil is the centerpiece, and the craft behind it is a work of patience.
Harvesting takes place in November and December by hand, fruit by fruit picked from ladders so that neither the tree nor the olive suffers any damage. An experienced picker manages 8 to 10 kilos per hour. The olives are processed no later than 12 hours after harvesting, usually that same night. During peak season, the mill runs for 24 hours in shifts to accommodate this.
Before pressing, leaves are removed and the olives are washed with running water. While kneading the olive paste, the temperature is kept between 24 and 27 degrees Celsius, controlled and certified as true cold pressing. Because the cooler and faster the work, the fresher and finer the oil.
Before bottling, the mill checks the chemical and sensory values of every batch, a kind of identity card for each vintage. Bottling is done under nitrogen so that no oxygen causes the aroma to age. "An oil is only as good as the fruit from which it comes," says Emilio Bartolini, and it is exactly according to this principle that the entire house operates.
Domenico and Ulderico have modernized many things over the years, but they stick to hand-harvesting and cold pressing, emphasizes Ulderico. In addition to the oil, grains and legumes grow on the family's fields, and cattle stand in the barn. This agricultural cycle is part of Umbria and continues to define the business to this day, from the soil to the bottle.
Moraiolo, Leccino, and Frantoio
The secret of Bartolini olive oil lies in the three varieties that thrive best in Umbria. Each brings its own character; only together do they result in a rounded, balanced oil.
The Moraiolo initially smells fruity and green like fresh olives and contributes an intensely bitter, spicy note. The Frantoio has an elegant and lingering scent of freshly mown grass and unripe apples. Finally, the Leccino adds a mild fruitiness of pear and ripe fruits, with a taste of sweet almonds in the finish.
This creates an oil that is well-tuned in fruitiness, spiciness, and bitterness—medium-bodied yet fine. It is precisely this balance that makes Umbrian olive oil so suitable for everyday use, from pasta to soup to grilled vegetables. Once you have understood how the three varieties interact, you will be able to taste them individually.
The right time of harvest also plays a role in the character. If the olives are picked while the skin is just starting to change color, the oil turns out particularly fruity and balanced. It is precisely this window that the family waits for every year, setting the start of the harvest according to the season.
Bartolini olive oil raw on good bread
Bartolini olive oil tastes best raw, where it can show what it can do undisturbed: over grilled bread with sea salt, over white beans, a lentil soup, or a Caprese. A drizzle over the finished plate adds both freshness and spice to the dish.
It pairs perfectly with Umbrian cuisine anyway, because the same landscape that produces the oil also brings forth lentils, chickpeas, and hearty breads. A spoonful of oil over warm legumes is terroir brought to life on a spoon.
If you are looking for a gift, the Olio Angeli in the retro tin is a great choice, best accompanied by an Aceto Balsamico and a good loaf of bread. If you want to taste Umbrian oil against a robust Southern Italian one, you will find an exciting comparison with Muraglia from Apulia, or feel free to browse through our extra virgin olive oils.
Try them out and find your favorite oil. Bartolini is a good place to start.
