Il Giogo s.s.a. di Perinelli Emanuela e Tezza Sophia

It was during our recent Fall vacation, celebrating our wedding anniversary in the Lake Como region in the North of Italy that I succumbed to my wife's insistence of searching for new and exciting extra virgin olive oils from this region! The area around Lake Garda, is really not well known for olive oils. The climate is quite mild and there are relatively few cultivars that are endemic there.

Well, Tina did her research, and "I went along for the ride" when we found a Producer just off Lake Garda that had had some recent success with awards for his excellent oils! My curiosity piqued having discovered that the farm we were about to visit had access to the cultivars; Casaliva and Grignano (two species not really that common or available for olive oil production).

Driving a little over 2 hours we met Sophie and Diego Tezza of Azienda Agricola Il Giogo, where we were treated to a fabulous lunch and given a tour of their new mill! Their hospitality was truly genuine!

A sister and brother, that are young, energetic, enthusiastic and dedicated to producing fine extra virgin olive oils from their trees that grace the mountain slopes overlooking Lake Garda!

Theirs is a great story, after investing in a new mill and milling equipment (Mori-of Tuscany), they have made a huge commitment to produce some very fine extra virgins. They have given great thought and care in every aspect of their oil production, right down to their label design which incorporates Braille for the sight impaired.

We once again "lucked out" and found excellent oils during our meandering travels through Italy! What fun!