What is the difference between the Classico and Riserva?
What is the difference between our Classico and Riserva, and why is Libellula so high in polyphenols and antioxidants?
Polyphenols are what make extra virgin olive oil rich in antioxidants and nutrients. They protect against development of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, skin aging, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Typical extra virgin olive oil contains about 100mg/kg of polyphenols... but what about Libellula?
CLASSICO:
Our Classico olives are pressed in November, much earlier than the big distributors.
While we are able to press less extra virgin olive oil from the small olives, they have a more concentrated level of nutrients and a polyphenol count of between 350 to 400 mg/kg.
Flavor Notes: floral & peppery with undertones of apple & artichoke.
RISERVA:
Our Riserva’s olives are harvested in early to mid-October.
The olives’ concentration of polyphenols and antioxidants are at their height, between 500 and 600 mg/kg.
But as the Riserva olives are even smaller than the Classico, we can only extract a tiny amount of antioxidant-rich olive oil. This is why our quantity of our Riserva is limited each year.
Flavor Notes: bright, herbaceous, spicy, with undertones of walnut.
Both the Classico and Riserva are made through regenerative agriculture (100% natural, pesticide-free), harvested by hand, and cold-pressed within twenty-four hours, ensuring none of the olive oil's antioxidants or vitamins are lost.