Sabina DOP

An oil as ancient as its land

Sabina is one of Italy’s oldest olive-growing territories: olive cultivation dates back to Roman times. This oil represents a thousand-year-old history made of knowledge handed down through generations.

In the heart of Lazio, Sabina represents one of Italy’s oldest and most prestigious olive-growing areas. Here, olive cultivation has accompanied the life of local communities for millennia, shaping the landscape and preserving agricultural traditions passed down from generation to generation.

Sabina DOP oil was born from this interweaving of nature, history, and culture: a product that has always nourished Rome and its territory, keeping intact its bond with the Capital and its most authentic roots. Its constant presence in daily life, on tables and in markets, makes it not only a gastronomic excellence, but also an identity and cultural symbol of Lazio.

Sabina DOP: how it came to be

SABINA DOP OIL has its roots in the thousand-year-old history of a unique territory, where olive trees have been cultivated for centuries and form an essential part of the local landscape and culture. The DOP designation officially recognizes the quality and authenticity of this oil, the expression of a microclimate, soils, and age-old traditions that make Sabina an extraordinary land for producing extra virgin olive oil. Since ancient times, local communities have developed careful cultivation and pressing techniques capable of bringing out the organoleptic qualities of the typical varieties.

The identity of Sabina DOP Oil is closely tied to native cultivars, most notably Sabina, Leccino, and Raggia, which give the product balance, fruity aroma, and harmony of flavors. The production specification guarantees the certain origin of the olives and strict control of the production processes, ensuring a genuine, excellent oil. The reference to Sabina, the name of a historic region and a symbol of authenticity, underscores the deep bond between territory, tradition, and quality: an inimitable oil, guardian of the area’s cultural and gastronomic heritage.

Organoleptic characteristics

On the nose, Sabina DOP Oil presents a medium-to-intense fruitiness, with pronounced notes of artichoke, almond, and fresh grass, and occasionally hints of tomato. On the palate, it shows a bitterness and pungency of varying intensity, harmonized by the vegetal notes already perceived on the nose, which accentuate its freshness and character. At the time of certification, the oil may display colors ranging from green to golden yellow, with shades that naturally change over time.

Chemical-physical characteristics

The compliance parameters established by the production specification for Sabina DOP Oil are verified through laboratory analysis and are as follows:

  • Acidity (expressed as oleic acid): ≤ 0.6%

  • Peroxide value: ≤ 14 mEq O2/kg

  • Minimum oleic acid: 68%

  • Tocopherols: ≥ 120 mg/kg

  • Total polyphenols: ≥ 200 mg/kg

Spectrophotometric indices of oxidative status:

  • K232: ≤ 2.50

  • K270: ≤ 0.22

These chemical-physical parameters make it possible to assess the oil’s aging state and freshness, guaranteeing the product’s authenticity and the absence of any illicit refining practices or contamination, thus confirming the excellence of Sabina DOP Oil.