La Bolla Extra Virgin Olive Oil
We have about 140 olive trees at La Bolla: 43 of the large Cellina di Nardo variety and 97 smaller trees comprised of Leccino, Coratina, Picholina and Favilosa. 2022 was our first ever harvest. We produced a YouTube episode on the 2023 harvest here and some of our 2022 customer feedback is below.
2025 Olive Harvest
In October/November 2025, we will harvest the olives by hand again for cold pressing locally into extra virgin olive oil. The large Cellina di Nardo and smaller olive trees will both be harvested.
We will sell the oil in 3-litre 'bag in box' containers for delivery within the EU and the UK. The prices will be known and shared after production. If you would like to register your interest as a possible purchaser of our La Bolla extra virgin olive oil, then please use the 'Contact Us' form so that we can share the details with you in November 2025. Just be aware that a rapid response is required, as we have sold out every year so far!
Previous Olive Harvests
In October 2022, we embarked on the adventure of raking and harvesting our Cellina di Nardo olives into nets, sorting with a manual olive sorting table, then transporting the crates within 48 hours to our local olive press, Sant'Oro. We did the same again in 2023, but this time with our 75 smaller trees while the Cellina di Nardo recovered from a hefty prune in the Spring. Both these harvests produced about 130 litres of the finest EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil).
In 2024, we harvested both the large and smaller trees but the much lower yield produced only 65 litres of EVOO . We are hopeful for a return to bountiful harvest in 2025.
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The Trees
Cellina Di Nardo
We have 43 established trees. Cellina di Nardo is an oil highly prized for its differential organoleptic characteristics compared to other varieties. It has a medium fruity level, with bitter and spicy touches also of medium intensity.
Leccino
This superior grade oil is rich in antioxidant and high in vitamin A, D, E and K which are known to nourish both hair and skin. The single-variety olive oil Leccino has a golden-yellow colour with gentle shades of green and an intense scent. The taste is complex and refined.
Coratina
Even in a family of oils that are good for you, Coratina is better. Nature has gifted Coratina olives with a remarkably high polyphenol content. Phenols are the part of olive that fight cancer, destroy oxidants, and promote healthy aging.
"Really versatile and palatable oil, fruity with peppery undertones. Great for dipping and dressings. A real find. One of Italy's best kept secrets!" (Sophie Allegretti, Masterchef Finalist and Richard Beard, Author)
"We think it's the tastiest olive oil we have ever had. Just goes to show that it's worth getting it from the farm gate" (Hugh S)
"We were lucky enought to sample the first harvest of extra virgin olive oil by La Bolla. It didn't disappoint! Super flavour (we bought Batch 3) with a subtle peppery taste and great for dipping homemade bread into. Thank you to Pete and Sally, we will definitely be back for more!" (Sonya H)
"Ho ricevuto l'olio de La Bolla a Dicembre 2022, in practica fiechissimo di frantoio, dato che Pete e Sally hanno raccolto le loro olive nella prima decade di novembre (ho infatti seguito le fasi della raccolta sulla loro pagina de La Bolla su Instagram). Mi hanno mandato il Batch 2 (un po' piu morbido) ed il Batch 3 (un po' piu 'pizzichino').
Il colore di amedue e dorato, verdognolo chiaro ed, al mio palato, il sapore risulta comunque delicato, morbido, dolce, perfetto per consumarlo direttamente sul pane. Ho adorato l'aspetto 'sincero', con la leggera opacita dell'olio 'onesto', quello che rarissimamente si trova nelle bottiglie del supermercato. Bravi Pete e Sally! Mi prenoto gia per il raccolto 2023!" (Agnese M)