The Palazzo di Varignana wellness resort near Bologna is a hymn to the Roman tradition of olive tree cultivation in Emilia Romagna. A good 120 hectares of land were planted with more than 65,000 olive trees on the soil of the spacious resort, an 18^th century villa. This is where five different high-quality EVO oils are produced, including the CLATERNA monocultivar made from the autochthonous, especially adaptable Ghiacciola variety. The CLATERNA has received numerous national and international awards and in 2020 it was also awarded the renowned ‘Tre Foglie’ in the Gambero Rosso guide. The award-winning oil is one of the one-hundred best in Italy and is named after the ancient Roman town of Claterna, located near the Palazzo. It boasts a refined scent of fresh herbs and tomato leaves, and develops a complex mouthfeel ranging from aromatic herbs, green citrus leaves, fresh almonds, apples to and green olives. A sweet start gives way to a sharp aroma and is, for example, the perfect companion of fish dishes and cooked vegetables.

The Palazzo di Varignana also boasts other olive oils, including the ‘Correggiolo’ and the ‘Nostrana’ monocultivar as well as the ‘Blend Riserva Blu’ and the ‘Selezione Cru’ blends. The oils can be sampled by following the instructions of expert agronomists on site and during dinner at the hotel.

The olive oils and further mouth-watering, homemade products, such as wines and jams, can be purchased from Palazzo di Varignana’s online store:

www.palazzodivarignanafood.com/en/oil.html