What cultivars are, and why they matter
A cultivar is a plant variety selected and grown for specific traits. In the olive tree's case, those traits are the quality and aromatic profile of the oil it produces. Sicily has more than 40 recognised native cultivars, but three dominate the production of certified extra virgin olive oil, each with a clearly defined character of its own. Understanding cultivars means understanding your olive oil. It means being able to read a label, choose knowingly and fully appreciate what is on your plate.
Nocellara del Belice – the queen of Sicilian cultivars
Nocellara del Belice is perhaps the best known and most admired Sicilian cultivar in the world. It takes its name from the Valle del Belice, in the provinces of Agrigento and Trapani, where it has been grown for centuries. It is a cultivar of a kind all its own: its olives are valued both for oil and as table olives — Nocellara del Belice in brine is one of the most sought-after aperitif olives in Italy. The oil it produces is of superior quality: medium to intense fruity, with clear hints of fresh grass, green tomato, artichoke and almond. On the palate it stands out for a pleasant bitter and pungent note, balanced and persistent, which makes it excellent with any kind of dish.
Main characteristics of Nocellara olive oil:
- Fruity: medium to intense
- Notes: green tomato, artichoke, fresh grass, leaf
- Bitter and pungent: present, balanced
- Pairings: antipasti, meat, cheeses, soups, pasta with sauce
Biancolilla – the delicate elegance of the land
Biancolilla is the cultivar of finesse. Grown above all in the provinces of Agrigento, Palermo and Trapani, it produces an olive oil that is light to medium fruity, with a more delicate aromatic profile than Nocellara: floral notes, hints of ripe fruit, fresh almond and a light herbaceous touch. It is the ideal oil for anyone who prefers a less assertive flavour, smoother and more elegant. Excellent poured straight over fish, salads and fresh cheeses, Biancolilla is also the cultivar best suited to balanced blends such as those in our PGI Collection, where it rounds off and balances the more assertive character of Nocellara and Cerasuola.
Main characteristics of Biancolilla oil:
- Fruity: light to medium
- Notes: white flowers, fresh almond, ripe fruit
- Bitter and pungent: light, very well matched
- Pairings: fish, salads, steamed vegetables, fresh cheeses, carpaccio
Cerasuola – the strong character of Sicily
Cerasuola is the bold one. Native to central-western Sicily and grown mainly in the provinces of Palermo and Trapani, it produces a robust, assertive oil, intensely fruity with notes of aromatic herbs — rosemary, oregano, thyme — and a marked bitter and pungent note that makes it unmistakable and memorable. It is not an oil for everyone, but the people who love it love it fiercely. Cerasuola is the choice of true connoisseurs: anyone looking for an olive oil with backbone, persistence and an aromatic complexity out of the ordinary. It is perfect with red meat, pulse soups, rustic bruschetta and mature cheeses.
Main characteristics of Cerasuola oil:
- Fruity: intense
- Notes: rosemary, oregano, aromatic herbs, thyme
- Bitter and pungent: pronounced, persistent
- Pairings: red meat, game, pulse soups, mature cheeses, bruschetta
Together, they are Sicily
Oleum Sicilia works every day with these three remarkable cultivars: on their own, in selected blends and in PGI and PDO certified products. Our PGI Collection, the organic BIOH and the Trinako Val di Mazara PDO come from a skilful combination of Nocellara, Biancolilla and Cerasuola, balanced in the ideal proportions to draw the best from this land every time.
Alongside these more widespread varieties, Sicily is home to cultivars that are less well known but no less interesting, such as Nocellara Etnea, Giarraffa, Verdello, Sant'Agatese and Minuta. Rarer expressions of the island's olive-growing heritage, they speak of specific growing areas and add to the biodiversity of the island.
Because a great extra virgin olive oil is not simply the result of good milling: it is the fruit of centuries of knowledge, of respect for the tree and of love for the land. These three cultivars are Sicily — all its beauty, all its complexity, all its generosity
