Estate
gentile bizzotto
olive-growers in pove

OUR
ESTATE

A LOVE STORY

Oro de Pòe olive oil is born out of a true love story. The estate upon which it is created is just as rich in family history and heritage as the land upon which it sits. In the early 1960’s, Cavalier Gentile Bizzotto and his wife Mrs. Elisa, chose to relocate his textile factory to Pove del Grappa, a village in the Vicenza province that was known for its mild microclimate. They chose this particular piece of land because it included an olive orchard with century old olive trees, some dating back more than 300 years. When the Bizzotto family took possession of the land, they immediately planted 200 more trees in honour of their eldest son Paolo, and newly born son Francesco. They felt it was a good omen and a symbolic gift to dedicate trees to their children that were known for their longevity.

In the early 1990’s Francesco began to take over caring for the olive yard. He quickly became even more passionate about the olive oil culture and the cultivation process than his father before him. Having become a father himself, he felt inclined to continue the tradition his parents started, planting 200 more trees at the birth of each of his three children, Amedeo in 2001, Maria Elisa in 2004, and Pierpaolo in 2008. By doing so, he hoped to encourage each of them to uphold a strong connection with their roots and a sense of belonging to this piece of history and territory. These figurative concepts are well represented by a physical olive tree.

Today the Estate Gentile covers 3 hectares, and is divided into 3 olive yards- Gentile, named after the founder; Masiera, named after the antique dry walls (which are built with stones from the nearby river Brenta) that surround the estate; and Sant’Antonio. The last one derives its name from a small chapel located on the grounds, which is dedicated to the saint of Padova. This chapel was built by a local farmer with his bare hands to thank the saint for a safe journey back home after being severely wounded as a soldier during the Second World War. Oro de Pòe is not only a delicious oil but also a powerful concentration of family, tradition, parental love, and gratitude.

THE CULTIVATION

RESPECT OF THE PLANTS

In our olive oil cultivation we respect the plants both in their morphology and their physiology. We prune our trees to facilitate a “full crown arrangement” in order to stimulate the alternation of branch production which is an important characteristic of olive trees. The fertilizers used are organic based and strictly comply with the national P.A.N. specifications for integrated pest control against olive tree diseases along with the use of biological traps to monitor the insects present in the olive grove. The olive grove is completely covered with grass and the composition of the stable lawn is rich in aromatic essences whose scents are then found in the fruitiness / herbaceousness that characterizes our oil.

THE HARVEST

THE MANUAL PROCESSING

At the beginning of September we begin to check the ripeness index of the olives according to the different varieties of plants present in our olive grove. Based on these analyzes, the date and areas of the olive grove in which to start harvesting are decided (generally in the second ten days of October). We harvest by hand and with the help of manual facilitators, always respecting the plants and their fruits. The olives therefore remain intact and healthy and are brought to the mill on the same day with the aim of bringing the moment of harvesting as close as possible to the moment of pressing: the effort is to ensure the preservation of the peculiarities of the olives.

THE PRESSING
THE TRADITIONAL METHOD
The pressing takes place within a few hours of harvesting at an oil mill that uses the continuous cycle pressing system in order to be able to capture and retain the best organoleptic properties that the olives can transmit to the oil. Stability of its characteristics, favored by a high presence of peroxides, and richness in polyphenols are among the main quality parameters of extra virgin olive oil.
OUR
EXPERT
SERGIO POLATO
My name is Sergio Polato. I was born and raised in the area surrounding Monte Grappa, which is a territory known for its abundance of olive oil and has been coined as “The Valley of Olives.” Today I reside in Pove Del Grappa. I have worked with “Oro de Poè” since its inception and have worked alongside Francesco and Katrien, to help realize their dream. In doing so, I have realized that I share their dream of cultivating and producing olive oil with unparalleled flavour and delicacy. I maintain the Bizzotto family’s olive yard and its majestic trees with passion and care. I organize and oversee the entire harvest of the olives, from the pressing and filtration to the bottling. Nothing in this process is done casually, everything is thought through and done in such manner that the highest quality is ensured.

In these past years I have continued to supplement my knowledge by participating in various courses, from managing an olive yard to olive tasting, and I have received certification as a qualified taster. It has been an exciting project thus far. I am very thankful to Doctor Giovanni Alberton, the technical point of reference for “Oro de Poè,” who was of great inspiration to me. I would also like to thank Stefano Farronato, who today works with us as the agronomist in charge.

OUR
AGRONOMIST

STEFANO FERRONATO

My name is Stefano Farronato. For more than 20 years, I have dedicated my life to my passion for trees, particularly olive trees. An expert in olive cultivation and a professional arborist, I hold the international certification of “European Tree Technician.” Every year, I supervise more than 10,000 olive trees in the region of Veneto, mastering the secrets and distinct characteristics of their wonderful fruit, the olive.

Several years ago I began to collaborate with “Tenuta Gentile”, known for the production of its extra virgin olive oil, “Oro de Poè”. I manage the agricultural aspects of the olive yard and the olive oil production. From the “Tenuta Gentile” we find a superb olive oil, which thanks to its ideal geographic location, olive varieties, and the diverse skill sets of our collaborators, represents one of the best DOP oils of the region. Competence, Passion, and Technical Capacity finds its nexus in this Olive Oil.