Italy and olive oil are inseparable. A tradition that dates back thousands of years, the country is still home to countless centuries-old olive groves and family-run frantoi that continue to press oil the old-fashioned way. The southern region of Puglia produces the majority of Italy’s extra virgin olive oil, but Tuscany and Sicily follow closely behind, each with its own distinct style and long-standing heritage.
While olive oil remains a cornerstone of Italian cooking, it has also become an expression of creativity. Many of today’s artisanal Italian olive oil brands pair tradition with design — hand-painted ceramics, sculptural bottles and bold, modern labels. Whether you use these oils for cooking, dressing a salad or simply admire them on your countertop, each one brings a little piece of Italy into your kitchen.
Olive Oils from Tuscany
Tuscany is the heartland of Italy’s most famous extra virgin olive oils. Grown on rolling hillsides alongside vineyards, Tuscan oils are typically bold, grassy and peppery, with a fiery kick that makes them best appreciated raw. They’re the oils of choice for finishing soups, bruschetta or a bistecca alla fiorentina — rustic yet refined, just like the region itself.
Read More: 11 Foods You Need To Try In Tuscany
Laudemio Frescobaldi
Laudemio is widely regarded as the gold standard of Tuscan olive oil, created in the 1980s to showcase the region’s finest producers. Frescobaldi, one of Tuscany’s great wine dynasties, makes its most iconic bottle: a green flask with a royal crest that signals heritage and quality. The olives grow in the Chianti hills, where stony soils and wide temperature shifts yield a peppery, robust oil with aromas of artichoke and fresh grass. Bold and fiery, this oil is best enjoyed raw drizzled over bruschetta, grilled vegetables or meats.
Il Bottaccio
Farm “Il Bottaccio” lies in the Maremma countryside near Bolgheri, an area celebrated for its vineyards and ancient olive groves. The estate produces an extra virgin olive oil of high quality, crafted entirely from Tuscan cultivars and cold-pressed within hours of harvest. The result is a vibrant, balanced oil with notes of green almond, artichoke and fresh herbs, and a subtle peppery finish. Elegant yet versatile, it’s refined enough for drizzling over crostini or vegetables, but smooth enough for everyday cooking.
Dievole
Set in the heart of Chianti Classico, Dievole is a wine estate (and luxury hotel!) that has been cultivating olives for over 900 years. Today, the estate produces a line of monocultivar oils, each showcasing a specific Tuscan olive variety. Their oils are elegant yet powerful: notes of fresh tomato leaf, bitter almon, and black pepper are common, making them ideal for finishing salads, beans and roasted meats. What sets Dievole apart is its commitment to biodiversity: many of their groves are dotted with centuries-old trees, and their approach is rooted in preserving local varieties.
Olive Oils from Puglia
At the heel of Italy’s boot, Puglia produces more olive oil than any other Italian region. Here, centuries-old groves stretch for miles, some trees dating back to Roman times. Pugliese oils are often powerful and green, made from local cultivars like Coratina, with a peppery bite that shines in simple dishes like orecchiette with greens or just drizzled over fresh bread. Puglia is also where design-forward bottles are making olive oil a true style statement.
Frantoio Muraglia
Muraglia is instantly recognizable thanks to its rainbow-striped ceramic bottles, hand-painted in Puglia. But the oil inside is every bit as striking. Made from Coratina olives, native to the region, Muraglia’s oil is intense: grassy, vegetal, with a distinctive peppery bite. This is not an oil to hide in cooking — it’s meant for finishing dishes, from burrata to grilled fish. The family-owned company has been producing EVOO for five generations, and their commitment to craft and design has made them one of the most giftable oils on the market.
Frisino
Frisino is a modern Pugliese label that marries tradition with contemporary branding. Based near Taranto, the family cultivates Coratina and Ogliarola olives, producing oils with a fruity, slightly bitter profile balanced by a hint of spice. Their sleek bottles reflect a minimalist, fashion-forward aesthetic that appeals to a younger audience. Flavor-wise, Frisino oils are versatile — excellent for drizzling over grilled bread or finishing a tomato salad, but also delicate enough to cook with. It’s an understated brand that feels fresh and sophisticated.
Frantoio D’Orazio
If you’ve seen playful, illustrated bottles of Italian EVOO, chances are they’re from D’Orazio. This family-run frantoio in Conversano has been pressing olives since the 1930s, but it’s their collaboration with local artists on bottle design that’s made them cult objects. The oil itself — often a blend of Ogliarola and Coratina — is smooth, well-balanced and approachable, with hints of almond and fresh herbs. It’s the kind of oil that elevates everyday cooking, but the bottles themselves make perfect gifts or kitchen décor.
Sabino Leone
Based in Canosa di Puglia, Sabino Leone produces some of Italy’s most awarded oils. Their groves include trees that are centuries old, and the family focuses on extracting oils that preserve the purity of each cultivar. Expect bold, assertive flavors with notes of chicory, arugula, and green tomato. This is olive oil in its most authentic Apulian form — peppery and intense, ideal for drizzling over hearty dishes like orecchiette with cime di rapa or rustic vegetable soups.
Read More: 10 Traditional Dishes of Puglia
Olive Oils from Sicily
Sicily’s volcanic soils and coastal breezes give its oils a distinctive depth and richness. The island boasts dozens of native cultivars — like Tonda Iblea and Nocellara del Belice — that yield aromatic oils with notes of tomato, citrus, and herbs. Sicilian EVOO is versatile: elegant enough for salads and seafood, but complex enough to stand alone with bread. Increasingly, Sicily’s producers are also experimenting with bold packaging and high-profile collaborations.
Premiati Oleifici Barbera
Founded in 1894, Barbera is one of Sicily’s most storied olive oil houses. Still family-owned, the brand is known for pairing tradition with design innovation. Their Olià line features sleek, modern packaging, while collaborations with Dolce & Gabbana have brought Sicilian EVOO into the fashion spotlight. Barbera’s oils are typically fruity with a soft, balanced spice, making them versatile for both drizzling and cooking.
Planeta
Planeta is best known for its wines, but the Sicilian estate also produces excellent EVOO. Grown on their groves in Capparrina near Menfi, their olives yield oils that are bright, fresh, and Mediterranean in character. Expect aromas of green tomato, fresh herbs, and citrus, with a crisp, slightly bitter finish. This is a balanced, everyday oil that works beautifully over grilled vegetables, seafood or even a citrus salad. With global distribution, Planeta is also one of the easiest artisanal Sicilian oils to find abroad.
Frantoi Cutrera
A multi-award-winning estate in Chiaramonte Gulfi, Frantoi Cutrera has been producing EVOO for generations. Their Primo oil, made from Tonda Iblea olives, is one of Sicily’s most celebrated: fruity, aromatic with notes of tomato, herbs, and artichoke. The finish is long and peppery, making it a perfect oil for finishing — drizzle it over a caprese, fresh ricotta, or even gelato. Their bold, graphic labels stand out on shelves, reflecting the confidence of the oil inside.
Bioagrimar
Bioagrimar combines organic Sicilian EVOO with hand-painted ceramic bottles, turning each into a collectible object. Their oils are typically smooth, with grassy, fruity notes and a delicate finish. While the oil is high-quality, it’s the bottles that make them shine — each one unique, making them ideal gifts. Think of them as the intersection of Sicilian craftsmanship and kitchen utility. These are decorative, artisanal oils meant for drizzling and display.
Olive Oils from Calabria
Tucked between the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas, Calabria is often overlooked in Italy’s olive oil conversation — but it has some of the oldest olive-growing traditions in the Mediterranean. The oils here are typically robust yet balanced, reflecting the southern climate. Calabria’s new wave of producers, like EXAU, is bringing this heritage into the spotlight with a modern sensibility.
EXAU
Founded by husband-and-wife duo Skyler Mapes, a Bay Area native, and Giuseppe Morisani, a third-generation Calabrian farmer, EXAU bridges southern Italy and California with a fresh, modern approach to olive oil. The family’s groves along Calabria’s Ionian coast have been producing olives since 1927, and today the couple farms regeneratively, overseeing every step from harvest to bottling. Their dedication to quality and transparency — and their mission to raise the profile of southern Italian olive oil — has earned them wide recognition, landing EXAU on Oprah’s Favorite Things and Forbes 30 Under 30.
Olive Oils from Liguria
On the narrow crescent of Italy’s northern coast, Liguria produces delicate, floral oils that contrast sharply with the punchy flavors of Tuscany and Puglia. The Taggiasca olive is the local star, yielding smooth, buttery oils with just a hint of spice. They’re a natural match for the region’s seafood and its iconic pesto Genovese, which wouldn’t taste the same without Ligurian EVOO.
Roi Frantoio
Roi is the reference point for Ligurian olive oil, specializing in the delicate Taggiasca olive. Based in Badalucco, in the heart of the Valle Argentina, the family has cultivated olives here for four generations. Ligurian oils are very different from their Tuscan or Apulian counterparts: light, floral, almost buttery, with just a whisper of spice. This makes Roi’s EVOO perfect for fish, pesto Genovese, or drizzling over fresh mozzarella. It’s an oil that embodies Liguria’s maritime, Mediterranean spirit — subtle, elegant, and endlessly versatile.
