From
"Italia, Life in I style"
supplement to
- HouseBeautiful
- Town&Country
- Harper’s Bazaar
- Marie Claire
- Esquire and
- Smart Money
Nov. 2002
by Donata Sartorio
This is the concept behind the new television ad campaign
for Monini Extra Virgin Olive Oil. And it truly speaks
volumes about the philosophy behind this historic Italian
company. It’s "a high-quality product that
is so good that it encompasses you, carries you away,"
says Zefferino Monini Jr., who has just returned from
a tour of the olive fields around his company in Spoleto,
the ancient town famous for its Festival of Two Worlds,
located in Umbria. "To get oil that is this good
takes loads of experience and a long tradition,"
continues Monini. And he would know: His family boasts
a history that spans three generations. The elder Zefferino
Monini began producing olive oil in 1920, creating the
highest quality extra virgin oil. Spoleto has hills
lined with olive trees yielding oil that bursts with
intense but well-balanced flavor. What distinguishes
the Moninis’ production of olive oil from other
operations is that they were the first company to bottle,
market, and distribute extra virgin olive oil. Most
Italians, especially those living in the cities, almost
exclusively used pure olive oil, which barely resembles
the rich flavor of an olive because of the chemicals
used to refine the product. The Monini family has made
it possible for the world to appreciate the nuanced
characteristics of extra virgin olive oil. The secret
to good olive oil is the taste, explains Zefferino Monini
Jr. Extra virgin olive oil must offer a delicate blend
of fragrances.
The oil is rich in natural antioxidants called polyhydric
phenols, which are very healthy. Zefferino Jr. knows
that American consumers are especially interested in
healthy foods, and he’s only too happy to offer
something as pleasing to the palate as to the body.
Zefferino Jr. distinctly recalls his childhood travels
with his father on Sundays to see the presses. At 39,
he is just now beginning to take over the operations
and getting hands-on experience. Brilliant, attentive
to detail, and as passionate about his home as he is
about the quality of his product, Monini is currently
serving as the managing director of the family business.
His grandfather and father both instilled in him strong
values and a keen understanding about olive oil. You
might say olive oil is in his blood. His sister Maria
Flora works by his side, handling the public relations.
Today the company is equal parts traditional and innovative,
with savvy business acumen and cutting edge technology,
which is among the best in the Mediterranean. The biggest-selling
Monini olive oil is the Originale Extra Virgin, which
typically sells 24 million bottles, translating into
approximately $85 million a year. That grade has a balanced,
sweet flavor and a distinct scent of olive. Fruttato—this
family favorite always maintains a place on the Moninis’
dinner table—has an intense, pungent flavor with
just a hint of an almond aftertaste. There is Monello,
the extra virgin olive oil culled from the first harvest.
It is strong and vibrant in flavor and must be used
right away, between the months of November and January.
For more refined tastes, there is the extra virgin Amabile
Umbria D.O.P. (protected origin denomination) And finally,
there is the extra virgin Oilbios, which is made from
organic olives and is intended to be used raw. Unlike
wine, olive oil should not be aged. After a year, the
oil can become rancid after coming in contact with the
air, which oxidizes the oil and causes it to lose its
fragrant and pure characteristics. Extra virgin olive
oil should be a delicate and solid green color—the
fresher it is, the more fragrant. According to Zefferino
Monini Jr., even the Italians don’t know a lot
about oil. They tend to be more focused on the design
of the packaging. Monini is eager to get people to appreciate
the different grades of olive oil and wants to offer
tastings all over the world. If extra virgin is a thing
of excellence, shouldn’t everyone get a taste?
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