Alto Crotonese

Alto Crotonese is a PDO-protected extra virgin olive oil produced in a defined group of municipalities in the province of Crotone, Calabria. The Carolea variety must account for 70 % or more of the trees in each grove. The oil must meet a total acidity of 0.7 g or less per 100 g and a peroxide value of not more than 14 Meq O2/kg.

About this designation

Alto Crotonese extra virgin olive oil is produced within the municipalities of Castelsilano (in part), Cerenzia, Pallagorio, San Nicola dell'Alto, Savelli (in part) and Verzino, all in the province of Crotone, Region of Calabria. The specification requires that the Carolea variety account for 70 % or more of the trees in any grove used for production; one or more of the cultivars Pennulara, Borgese, Leccino, Tonda di Strongoli and Rossanese may account for up to 30 % of the trees. Harvesting must be carried out directly from the tree, by hand or by mechanical means, and must be completed by 31 December each year. The olives must be crushed within two days of harvesting. In plants operating on a continuous cycle, the temperature of the oily paste may not exceed 25 °C during kneading. The oil yield may not exceed 20 %. The specification sets a panel test score of 6.5 or above, oleic acid content of 70 % or above, K 232 of 2 or below, K 270 of 0.2 or below, and total polyphenols of 100 ppm or above. The oil must be marketed in containers of five litres or less. The label must carry the name 'Alto Crotonese PDO' and the designation's graphic symbol. The inspection body named in the specification is 3A — Parco tecnologico agroalimentare dell'Umbria — Soc. Cons. arl, located in Todi. Growers, millers and bottlers must be entered in registers kept by the regulatory body. The designation is registered under file number PDO-IT-0200 and eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013511.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 14 June 2001 under file number PDO-IT-0200 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013511).
• The Carolea variety must account for 70 % or more of the trees in any grove used for production; no other primary variety is permitted.
• The olives must be crushed within two days of harvesting, and the oily paste temperature may not exceed 25 °C during kneading.
• The oil yield may not exceed 20 %, and total acidity must be 0.7 g or less per 100 g of oil.

Tasting notes

Calabrian EVOO from Crotone uplands, predominantly Carolea cultivar. Medium-intense fruity profile, balanced bitter-pungent notes, characteristic green tomato leaf and almond flavors with subtle artichoke hints.

HoReCa use

Finishing oil on grilled fish and vegetables, drizzled over Calabrian rustic dishes, pasta with peperoncino, raw on bruschetta.

Packaging

• glass-bottle-500ml
• glass-bottle-750ml
• tin-3L
• tin-5L
• PET-canister-3L

Seasonality