Wine information:
Planeta’s brand new, state of the art Olive press was completed in 2003 and is situated at Capparrina, in the heart of their 75ha olive grove, of which only 35ha is mature enough to produce olives for the oil. Planeta grow the Biancolilla, Cerasuola and Nocellara olives, three Sicilian varieties which have been rediscovered and reinstated by Planeta as the flagship Sicilian olive. Planeta's extra-virgin olive oil acquired the recognition "DOP Val di Mazara" from the 2006 harvest onwards. DOP or "Denominazione di Origine Protetta " is an indication of quality awarded to an agricultural or food product whose particular characteristics of excellence depend exclusively on the area where it is produced. Only 2% of Italian olive oil production comes under the label of DOP or IGP. Planeta's Extra Virgin Olive Oil is not filtered or fined nor centrifuged before bottling, retaining all of the natural aromatic and flavour compounds so painstakingly grown in the olive throughout the year. Planeta Extra Virgin Olive Oil DOP Val di Mazara has a wonderfully vibrant, leafy green hue and a delicious bouquet of fresh herbs, citrus fruit, artichokes and tomatoes. The palate is concentrated and full, generously offering the citrus and tomato promised on the nose. Although full in the mouth, the oil retains an elegance and balance that makes others taste clumsy in comparison. Planeta's Olive Oil deserves freshly baked bread in order to show it's magnificent array of characteristics fully. The complex palate makes this an ideal dressing for green leaf salads and frugally prepared river fish, octopus and squid.