BEYOND THE BIG NAMES: THE FUTURE OF TUSCAN OLIVE OIL LIES IN ITS “OVERLOOKED” TERRITORIES

The High-Altitude Oil

In Tuscany, extra virgin olive oil is a language.

But as with any ancient language, some voices risk being lost in the noise of the most celebrated denominations.

The 52nd Re Olio Fair in Reggello revealed something essential to me: there are extraordinary territories, often forgotten by market logic, where Tuscan extra virgin olive oil expresses a purity and depth rarely found elsewhere.

This is a Tuscany that climbs toward the high hills, between 350 and 650 meters above sea level, where olive trees grow slowly, the air thins, and the land tells another story of excellence.

REGGELLO — A HIGHLAND TERRITORY ASKING TO BE HEARD

Reggello stretches along the slopes of Mount Pratomagno, among forests, vineyards, and centuries-old olive groves.Its altitude, thermal excursions, and mixed clay-and-galestro soils shape a severe terroir—demanding and ungenerous for those who chase quantity, yet perfect for those pursuing quality.

Here, olive oil is born from early harvesting, lower yields, and an aromatic freshness that is difficult to find elsewhere: green notes of artichoke and thistle, a fine bitterness, and a sharp, persistent pungency that signal a rich polyphenolic profile.

In short, these are mountain oils — in the noblest sense of the word.

EXCELLENCE WITHOUT A FAMOUS LABEL

In Tuscany and beyond, denominations matter — sometimes too much.

Yet, they are not always enough.

Territories like Reggello, though part of recognized areas of vocation, remain outside the main circuits of communication and trade.And yet they hold enormous potential: not only in quality but also in authenticity, sustainability, and a living, breathing rural identity.

Very often, what truly makes the difference is not the seal on the neck of the bottle, but the ability to tell a coherent, measurable, and recognizable story of origin.On that front, Reggello has all it takes to build its own space.

SMALL PRODUCERS — THE SILENT SOUL OF OLIVE OIL

Anyone visiting Re Olio immediately senses it: there are no glossy booths, but people.Families who have tended their olive trees for generations, mills that still smell of stone and wood, producers who invest in territorial quality — early harvesting, same-day pressing, inerted stainless-steel storage, and fully traceable batches.

Their limit is not technical, but strategic.

They often lack communication tools, digital visibility, and commercial networks, and are forced into defensive choices — selling at low prices or staying confined within the local market.Yet, they are the most genuine and promising side of contemporary Tuscan olive oil.

The problem is not the product itself — it’s the positioning.Frequent challenges include pricing disconnected from actual costs (steep slopes, low yields of 8–14% from early harvests, and therefore high production costs per liter), inconsistent branding, outdated websites, and technical information that rarely translates into usable value for chefs and buyers.Most rely on direct sales or small fairs, with limited access to international retail or fine dining.

FROM STORYTELLING TO STRATEGY

The Tuscan landscape includes historic PDOs (Chianti Classico, Lucca, Terre di Siena, Seggiano) and the IGP Toscano (with geographical mentions).

Reggello, though rich in agronomic value, still suffers from low brand awareness.

The wisest path forward — the main road, so to speak — is not to compete with the big names but to differentiate by style and territory.

Reggello can become the living laboratory of High-Altitude Olive Oil: a category that combines sensory, ethical, and narrative depth — fresher, more vertical, and distinctly modern oils.

A simplified three-step strategy could look like this:

• Short term: build a shared territorial narrative — visual identity, altitude mapping, short videos, and guided tastings year-round.

• Medium term: organize a network of producers and mills with a shared technical protocol for harvest, pressing, and storage.

• Long term: create a collective brand, “Reggello Alta Quota”, supported by experiential events and olive oil tourism focused on high-altitude production.

TRADITION MUST LOOK FORWARD

In Reggello and in many similar places, olive oil has never been a simple culinary element — it’s a material culture, now becoming a social and economic necessity.

The terraced groves, the historical varieties (Frantoio, Leccino, Moraiolo), and the small-scale mills form a heritage at risk of disappearing if it does not enter the present.

To innovate does not mean to betray — though that often happens — but to translate tradition into a language that today’s consumer understands.A language for those who reject standardization and instead seek products that are genuine, rooted, and meaningful — expressions of territory, sustainability, health, and taste.

The true traveler of taste today looks for authenticity, not brands.

TOWARD A NEW OLIVE OIL NARRATIVE

What’s needed now, more than ever, is organization and consistent storytelling.

November events alone aren’t enough.

We need a recognizable voice — digital, coherent, informed — capable of turning technical rigor into emotion and daily effort into perceived value.

Every overlooked corner of Tuscany could reclaim its space not by asking for attention, but by earning it through strategy, truth, and competence.

In the end, the future of Tuscan extra virgin olive oil might well be born here — in the territories no one watches, but that continue to thrive quietly, doing things right.

For those who work, observe, or dream within these landscapes, the real challenge is not to produce more, but to help the world see the value in what already exists.

If you’d like to discuss, share ideas, or explore how to enhance these places and the people who keep them alive, get in touch — every conversation can become a spark for growth.

And now, I’ll let the images speak: the Re Olio photo gallery tells, better than words, the story I’ve just tried to capture.