Alpha Zeta was started in 1999 when Liberty Wines, working with leading New Zealand winemaker Matt Thomson, set out to produce a range of modern, fruit driven wines from the hills outside Verona... Our aim was to work with growers (rather than buy bulk wine, which is standard among most wines from Verona at this price) to obtain ripe grapes (by reducing yields and picking later) and then, using Matt`s expertise, preserve these flavours in the finished wines.  The same ideas and principles were soon transferred to the production of an Alpha Zeta Extra Virgin olive oil which likewise combines Veronese traditions with more modern production, innovation and technology. As with the wines, we work with the growers to produce quality olives that are harvested and crushed immediately to obtain the best possible oil.  View producer page Olive groves This olive oil is made from old olive trees grown in the Valpantena valley situated north east of Verona.  The cool breezes that blow off the foothills of the Dolomites are funnelled down this valley and make it ideal for the cultivation of vines and olives.  The proximity of Lake Garda ensures the viability of oil production at this, the most northerly latitude in Italy.  Harvest information Spring 2017 saw a high rainfall and relatively low temperatures, in fact, the rainfall recorded up to the end of May was equal to that of the whole of 2012. Only in mid to late July did the wet weather cease to make way for a heat wave, which arrived thanks to the African anticyclone, allowing for low levels of acidity and great development of the olives for a concentrated oil. Production On arrival at the ‘frantoio‘ (mill), the olives were crushed by modern continuous, stainless steel presses.  The paste and resulting oil were both protected from oxygen in order to maintain the delicacy and freshness of flavour in the olives.  The oil was held in stainless steel tanks until bottling. Tasting Notes Golden-green in colour with a light, delicate perfume of fresh grass and ripe olives. This oil is light and delicate, with a fresh, grassy taste, medium body and a smooth, ripe finish. The Veneto oil doesn't have the more aggressive style of the oils from further south in Italy and is excellent for drizzling over more delicate dishes. Vintage information Vintage 2019 75cl Grape varieties 50% Grignano50% Favarol Region Valpolicella, Veneto Winemaker Lorenzo Caramazza Acidity 0.2g/l