Italian green gold: Roma PGI and Sabina PDO, extra virgin symbols of biodiversity and millenary olive-growing tradition

Italy is a world leader in olive biodiversity, with a heritage of over 500 cultivars distributed across approximately one million hectares of olive groves. This extraordinary genetic variety not only guarantees extra virgin olive oils with unique sensory profiles, appreciated worldwide for their quality and authenticity, but also contributes to safeguarding local ecosystems, protecting the flora and fauna associated with the groves. The gross saleable production of the Italian olive oil chain reaches approximately 1.2 billion euros, generating a total value of over 3.3 billion euros per year and involving between 160,000 and 197,000 employees.

In this context of agricultural, cultural, and environmental richness, two certified oils emerge that fully represent the potential of Made in Italy agri-food: Roma PGI Olive Oil and Sabina PDO Olive Oil, authentic ambassadors of history, tradition, sustainability, and biodiversity, certified and 100% Italian.

Roma PGI Olive Oil is distinguished by varieties such as Itrana, Caninese, and Moraiolo, with easily recognizable fresh notes of grass, almond, and artichoke. A curious detail: the olives are also harvested in the olive groves of the Colosseum Archaeological Park, where Roman tradition is revived every year through harvesting and milling, giving life to the oil of the ancient Romans.

Sabina PDO Olive Oil, obtained from native cultivars such as Carboncella, Leccino, and Rosciola, is known for its fruity, harmonious, and slightly spicy profile. Along with other oils, it was one of the first to be awarded the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), a prestigious European recognition obtained in 1995.

The companies belonging to the two Consortia offer the opportunity to discover the world of these two extra virgin oils through oleotourism itineraries designed to inform and engage consumers. Guided tours through olive groves and mills, where the discovery of cultivation techniques, production phases, and the peculiarities of the two certifications becomes a concrete and engaging experience, enriched by the possibility of tasting the oils directly in their places of origin. An approach that fosters a more conscious and profound food culture.

The national promotion is moving precisely in this direction, featuring Roma PGI Olive Oil and Sabina PDO Olive Oil: from September 12 to 21, 2025, 20 selected restaurants in Rome, Milan, and Turin will offer the public the chance to get to know the two extra virgin oils up close. The initiative, promoted by the Consortia for the Protection of Roma PGI and Sabina PDO Olive Oil and realized with the contribution of MASAF – DM 657001 of 12/12/2024, aims to transform the taste experience into a true journey of knowledge and awareness. Each meeting will indeed be a moment to delve deeper into the two quality designations that tell the same story of passion: that for an extra virgin oil that respects the land, enhances flavors, and brings to the table all the richness of ancient knowledge perfected over time.