More than a century of olive oil production experience allowed the families behind Olio Mazzone to overcome a highly challenging season to triumph at the 2023 NYIOOC.
"We had such a difficult season that winning the Gold Award once again came as a surprise to us," owner and miller Giuseppe Campanale told Olive Oil Times. We faced drought, harsh weather, and olive fruit fly infestations. The olive output was lower."
Since 1920 and over four generations, the Mazzone-Campanale family remained focused on olive oil production through challenging times, including World War II.
"These experiences come from a life spent in an area largely characterized by olives," he stated. Ruvo di Puglia has 25,000 people, and all families have olive trees. We discuss olives and olive oil and comprehend quality."
"I know that there are many areas where growing olives might be incredibly challenging," he remarked. Instead, we have ideal soil for Coratina olive trees, which thrive in the area.
“Our olive trees have to cope with rocky land, which makes it harder to absorb nutrients,” Campanale added. However, the rocky soil is also well-drained, preventing some common diseases associated with stagnant groundwater from spreading.
"Nothing good comes from too much comfort," Campanale stated. If your olive orchards are fertile and watered, you may get good yields. This is not the place to find the olive's particular quality."