Complete Guide to Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting at Palazzo di Varignana, My First Time in a Truly Fascinating and Uncharted Field.

Have you read my article on the “perfect weekend” at Palazzo di Varignana Resort? If not, I highly recommend checking it out. During that dream weekend, I had the chance to immerse myself in one of the most surprising and fascinating experiences: Extra Virgin Olive Oil tasting. And, believe me, it was a true revelation!

I never imagined how rich this world was in nuances, flavors, and details waiting to be discovered.

Until that moment, I thought I knew olive oil, but what I tasted at Palazzo di Varignana made me realize that I had only scratched the surface of a fascinating and complex universe. Olive oil tasting is not just a sensory experience; it is a true art that requires attention, passion, and, above all, a deep understanding of the varieties and characteristics of each single oil.

Palazzo di Varignana Resort e Spa

Via Ca’ Masino, 611 A

40024 Varignana di Castel S. Pietro (BO)

Tel: 051 19938300

info@palazzodivarignana.com
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Palazzo di Varignana Food Project

Since 2013, Palazzo di Varignana Resort and Spa has launched the Food project with the goal of enhancing local products through an agro-food program that promotes ancient crops and a line of signature products. The resort’s agricultural estate transforms the natural landscape into a resource, creating a circular model where Varignana’s land supplies most of the food for the restaurants and the Resort, covering over 300 hectares.

Among its highlights is the recovery of historical olive varieties to produce high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The project aims to spread the culture of EVOO, offering a full experience from cultivation to tasting at the Resort.

The Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting

My olive oil tasting experience at Palazzo di Varignana was a true sensory journey. The 40-minute session took place in an intimate corner near the resort’s lounge bar, where Francesca, a real expert in this world, guided me through the secrets of extra virgin olive oil. Her passion was contagious, and within minutes, I realized how much I had underestimated the art of oil tasting.

The first surprise was the “humanization” of the oil, served in small rounded cups, which needed to be “cuddled” in the hands for a while, a gesture that made the tasting more personal. The second discovery was the sipping technique: with pursed lips, to capture every single aftertaste. I began with the more delicate oils, such as the “Blend Verde” and “Blend Blu”, before moving on to the more intense oils, like the “Vargnano”,  a Nostrana di Brisighella, and “Stiffonte”,  a Correggiolo. The highlight of the tasting was the award-winning “Claterna”, a Ghiacciola olive oil that truly impressed me with its intensity and complexity.

An experience that left me with a new curiosity and a deeper appreciation for EVOO.

After tasting the five EVOO varieties, there were pairings with seasonal fruits and vegetables.

The challenge was to pair one of the oils just tasted with fresh finger foods. There are no winners or losers; the “right” choice is the one that best suits your taste.

Each of these types of EVOO is extraordinary on its own: on bread, or paired with more elaborate fish and meat dishes, as happens at the Aurevo Restaurant, for which I’ve left the link to the review here.

In addition to the EVOO monovarieties, Palazzo di Varignana’s Food project includes the production and sale of wines (also available à la carte in the Aurevo Restaurant), jams and juices, tea, chocolate, and honey (which I had the pleasure of tasting during breakfast at the resort), saffron, and even truffles.

Extra Virgin olive oil tasting experience opened my eyes to a world rich in nuances and flavors that I didn’t know, but that made me feel much more enriched.
I hope I’ve piqued your curiosity with this account of such an unusual experience! Would you like to taste some excellent Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

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