Faresse Extra Virgin Olive Oil

After Coppadoro, we wanted to taste the rest

Coppadoro made us curious about Ciccolella’s other olive oils. After all, a producer capable of making such an impressive Coratina surely had more to offer.

And indeed it did. Faresse is almost the opposite of Coppadoro: no muscle, but finesse. No powerful bitterness and pepperiness, but gentle, pleasant fruitiness.

Same producer. Same Puglia. Completely different olive oil. And that is exactly what makes Ciccolella so interesting.

Faresse has a friendly, delicately fruity character. Ciccolella highlights aromas of almond, banana and yellow apple.

On the palate, the oil is smooth and almost sweet in impression. Bitterness and pepperiness are far more restrained than in a powerful Coratina, leaving plenty of room for the fruity aromas.

This is not an olive oil that shouts for attention at the table. Faresse waits quietly until you taste it – and then wins you over in a much subtler way.

Faresse is made exclusively from Ogliarola Barese, a traditional olive variety from Puglia. Where Coratina is known for strength and intensity, Ogliarola Barese produces much more elegant and approachable oils.

You taste that difference immediately. Faresse is fruity and aromatic, yet remains soft in texture and easy-going in character.

A good reminder that the olive variety is at least as important to flavour as the country or region where the oil is produced.

To understand just how much difference an olive variety can make, you really only need to place Coppadoro and Faresse next to each other.

Coppadoro is 100% Coratina: intensely fruity, firmly bitter and distinctly peppery. Faresse is 100% Ogliarola Barese: smoother, gentler and far more subtle.

Two oils from the same producer that sit almost at opposite ends of the flavour spectrum. In this case, tasting teaches more than a hundred words of explanation.

For dishes you do not want to overpower

Thanks to its gentle character, Faresse is particularly well suited to fish, fresh vegetables, grilled vegetables, salads, fresh pulses and red sauces.

That is especially useful with delicate ingredients. The oil adds fruitiness and roundness without making every dish taste only of olive oil.

Faresse is also a lovely choice with a simple tomato sauce or light pasta. Enough flavour to make a difference, but enough restraint to leave the rest of the dish intact.

Some olive oil lovers deliberately look for firm bitterness and pepperiness. Others simply prefer a smooth, fruity extra virgin olive oil.

Faresse proves that a mild olive oil does not have to be flat. Its appeal lies in its aromas, balance and friendly combination of almond, banana and yellow apple.

With Faresse, Zurlo and Coppadoro, Ciccolella beautifully demonstrates how much variation one producer can create.

Faresse sits on the elegant, gentle side. Coppadoro is the outspoken powerhouse. And in between we find a third style. Three bottles that almost automatically create a small Puglia tasting at home.

Discover more about Italian extra virgin olive oil and how different olive varieties each give an oil its own distinctive flavour.