Don Gioacchino D.O.P. EVOO

The world number 1 comes from a centuries-old olive grove

Don Gioacchino is made from 100% Coratina, the famous olive of Puglia known for its powerful character, pronounced bitterness and high aromatic intensity. For this oil, Sabino Leone uses olives from a historic grove containing trees more than two centuries old.

The name is a tribute to Gioacchino Leone, Sabino Leone’s father and founder of the agricultural estate. He devoted his life to this olive grove. Don Gioacchino is therefore not simply a premium oil within the range, but a deeply personal olive oil in which family history, terroir and Coratina come together.

Don Gioacchino ranks number 1 in the overall World’s Best Olive Oils ranking 2025/2026 with 465 points. This places the Coratina ahead of Único by Miceli & Sensat and Oro Bailén Picual, the numbers 2 and 3 of this harvest year.

A prestigious number-one position, but above all a confirmation of what you taste in the glass: an olive oil of enormous intensity, depth and complexity without losing its balance.

Sabino Leone produces his olive oil in Canosa di Puglia, in the heart of a region where olive trees have shaped the landscape for centuries. Coratina belongs here, and Don Gioacchino expresses that local identity in its most distinctive form.

The olives are carefully harvested and processed quickly to preserve the green aromas, freshness and natural strength of the cultivar as effectively as possible. The result is not an easy, mild crowd-pleaser, but an Extra Virgin olive oil with a very distinct personality.

The aroma is dominated by green almond, complemented by artichoke stem, tomato leaf and Mediterranean herbs. On the palate, wild chicory and bitter almond emerge, together with very pronounced but beautifully integrated bitterness and pepperiness.

The scores in our Olive Oil Guide reflect that character: 9 for fruitiness and the maximum 10 for bitterness, pepperiness and complexity. This is an oil for those who are not looking for softness, but want to experience just how much flavour a great Extra Virgin olive oil can deliver.

Don Gioacchino excels alongside powerful flavours. Think vegetable soups, pulses, red meat and tomato sauces. It is also superb over roasted vegetables, pasta, bruschetta or simply good bread.

And anyone who really wants to understand Don Gioacchino should taste it neat first. A small amount is enough. Warm the tasting glass briefly in your hand and allow the aromas a few seconds to open up. It quickly becomes clear why this oil is rated so highly.

No bottles from the 2025/2026 harvest remain available, either from us or from the producer. This chapter of Don Gioacchino has therefore come to an end. We now wait for the new harvest – and are naturally very curious to see whether Sabino Leone can once again produce such an exceptional Coratina.