Fragrance: clear scent of olives, fresh and delicate, typical of Olivastra, strong hints of vegetable with clear hints of artichoke and slight hints of banana.

Taste: delicate, well-rounded, with well-balanced fruity and herbaceous flavours, very light and elegant. Initially with sweet sensation on the palate which develops into a medium peppery intensity. Beautifully harmonious and elegant complexity with a spicy and fresh finish.

Use: fresh on fish, on bitter greens, grilled vegetables, excellent with artichokes.

• Great Tuscan olive oils come into their own when drizzled over foods, especially if the foods are warm. While fine Tuscan oils are wonderful for sautéeing, pouring a great oil over something warm magnifies its aromas, unleashing all of its power. Perhaps the most classic use for extra virgin olive oil is fettunta—grilled bread, drizzled with oil and served warm. (Before drizzling the oil, it is common to rub the bread with a garlic clove; the bread’s warmth melts the garlic.)

Founded in 1958, Frantoio Franci is set in Montenero d’Orcia, a small hilltop town on the slopes of the Amiata Mountains, overlooking the splendid valley of the River Orcia. In that year the brothers Franco and Fernando Franci purchased the famous Villa Magra olive grove proceeding to transform the old barn into an oil-mill.

Today, Frantoio Franci is the only company in the world to have won the “Leone d’Oro” prize 3 times, awarded by the “Maestri Oleari”, the most important and prestigious international olive oil competition, and the “Ercole Olivario” prize 5 times; the two top awards in the olive oil field.