New harvest olive oil: what it is and why it is so special

With the arrival of autumn, a very familiar expression returns to Italy’s olive-growing regions: new harvest olive oil.

This is the time when harvesting begins, olive mills start operating and the oil obtained from the olives of the new harvest can finally be tasted. It is a highly anticipated product, appreciated for its intense aromas, vivid colour and those sensations of bitterness and pungency that can be particularly pronounced, especially during the first few weeks.

But what exactly is meant by new harvest olive oil? How long does this phase last? And above all: does new harvest olive oil necessarily have to be cloudy?

What does “new harvest olive oil” mean?

The term new harvest olive oil is commonly used to describe freshly produced extra virgin olive oil made from olives from the latest harvest.

It is not a separate commercial category from extra virgin olive oil, but simply an immediate way of identifying the oil during the first few weeks or months after production.

It is precisely during this period that some of the oil’s aromatic characteristics can be expressed with particular intensity.

Its profile naturally depends on many factors: olive variety, territory, degree of ripeness, climatic conditions during the season, harvesting time and processing methods.

When does new harvest olive oil arrive?

The timing varies depending on the production area, olive variety and weather conditions during the season.

In Sicily, where the olive-growing season can begin relatively early, olives intended for oil production may start to be harvested as early as mid-October.

Choosing the right time to harvest is essential.

Harvesting too early can result in lower yields, while waiting too long can alter the aromatic profile of the oil and reduce some of the characteristics sought by the producer.

The aim is therefore not simply to harvest as early as possible, but to identify the moment when fruit quality, ripeness and sensory characteristics reach the desired balance.

Aromas and characteristics of new harvest olive oil

When tasting freshly produced olive oil, one of the first impressions is often its remarkable aromatic intensity.

Depending on the olive variety and the characteristics of the oil, it may reveal notes reminiscent of freshly cut grass, tomato leaf, artichoke, aromatic herbs, almond or other vegetal aromas.

Over time, the oil naturally continues to evolve.

Its sensory profile gradually becomes more balanced and some of the sensations typical of freshly produced oil may become less pronounced.

This is precisely what makes new harvest olive oil so eagerly awaited: it offers the opportunity to taste extra virgin olive oil at a very particular stage of its evolution.

Bitterness and pungency: defects or positive characteristics?

One of the most common questions concerns the sensations of bitterness and pungency.

Those who are used to very mild oils may initially perceive them as something negative. In a high-quality extra virgin olive oil, however, bitterness and pungency are completely natural sensory characteristics and can be important elements of its profile.

These sensations are also linked to the presence of polyphenols, compounds naturally found in olives and extra virgin olive oil. Polyphenols have an important antioxidant action: they help protect the oil from oxidation and are among the substances that make extra virgin olive oil particularly interesting from a nutritional point of view.

Some phenolic compounds are directly responsible for the sensations we perceive during tasting: pungency, often felt especially at the back of the throat, and bitterness, perceived mainly in the mouth. Their intensity varies depending on the olive variety, the degree of ripeness and the processing methods used.

In new harvest olive oil, these characteristics can be particularly noticeable, especially when the olives are harvested at a relatively early stage of ripening.

Why cold extraction is important

The way the olives are processed is also important in order to preserve their characteristics as much as possible.

Our olive oil is cold-extracted, with the temperature carefully controlled throughout the extraction process. Excessive temperatures may in fact lead to the loss of some aromatic compounds and accelerate processes that can affect the quality of the oil.

Careful processing at controlled temperatures helps to better preserve aromas, sensory characteristics and naturally occurring compounds in the olives, allowing the oil to express the olive variety and the territory from which it comes more faithfully.

Does new harvest olive oil mean unfiltered olive oil?

No. This is one of the most common misconceptions.

A cloudy appearance is often associated with the idea of freshly produced oil and therefore with greater authenticity. In reality, “new harvest olive oil” and “unfiltered olive oil” are not the same thing.

Immediately after extraction, tiny solid particles and small quantities of vegetation water may remain suspended in the oil. These are what give it a hazy or cloudy appearance.

However, if they remain in the oil, they may promote processes over time that can compromise the product’s stability and sensory characteristics.

For this reason, we choose to filter our olive oil shortly after production, removing residual water and solid particles and helping to preserve the characteristics achieved during harvesting and extraction.

We explore this topic in more detail in the article Olive oil filtration: an essential step for preserving quality over time.

Storage matters too

Producing an excellent olive oil is only part of the work.

Once produced and filtered, extra virgin olive oil must be protected above all from oxygen, light and excessive temperatures, factors that can accelerate its natural oxidation process.

For this reason, in our farm the oil is stored in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature and under inert gas, limiting contact with oxygen as much as possible until packaging.

These measures may be barely visible to the consumer, but they are essential to ensure that the work begun in the olive grove is not compromised during the following stages.

The same attention to production processes is one of the principles we share with FIOI – Federazione Italiana Olivicoltori Indipendenti, of which Rocche della Sala is a member.
Discover why we chose to join FIOI.

New harvest Nocellara del Belice olive oil

In our olive groves in Partanna, in the Belice Valley, we grow Nocellara del Belice, an olive variety deeply rooted in western Sicily.

The olives are processed just a few hours after harvesting; the oil is cold-extracted, filtered and carefully stored to protect its quality and characteristics over time.

Olive oil produced from Nocellara del Belice can express a particularly rich aromatic profile, with vegetal notes reminiscent of artichoke, grass and tomato leaf, accompanied by bitterness and pungency that contribute to its distinctive personality.

Each new olive harvest gives us the opportunity to taste freshly processed Nocellara del Belice, when its aromas, bitterness and pungency are expressed with particular intensity.

Discover our new harvest organic Sicilian Nocellara del Belice extra virgin olive oil.