If visiting an olive farm isn't already on your bucket list, perhaps you might consider adding it. An hour's drive outside of Rome, the rolling hills of the Sabina territories produce the most distinctive, delicate olive oil in Europe.
Poggio San Lorenzo, a town built on an ancient Roman villa from the second century A.D., is the place to immerse yourself in Italy's most treasured export. Baglioni Hotel Regina guests can explore the region and taste the divine fruits of the farmer's labor with an experiential visit to the Capo Farfa farm. It is here that the Agamennone family has been producing oil from its orchards since the 1600s.
Sabina is home to the oldest olive trees in Europe, where rolling hills and rocky limestone provide a sense of terroir to the farm's nine varietals, which are blended to create the aromatic Sabina PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). The PDO is a stamp of approval, signaling strict guidelines were followed in production to earn the designation.
Secrets of the family business are uncovered during a tour through ancient groves, where an arbiter of taste teaches guests how to sniff out the good from the bad.
Today, the tradition continues with the family combining ancient techniques with modern technology to produce 30,000 liters of oil annually from organic black olives grown on its orchards.
Secrets of the family business are uncovered during a tour through ancient groves, where an arbiter of taste teaches guests how to sniff out the good from the bad. The day culminates in a four-course meal served inside the dining room of the family mill.
The menu features specialties of the house, which emphasize the culinary heritage of Sabina, in rustic dishes combining ingredients like Roman cheese, pasta, chicken, honey, mushrooms, fruit, and, of course, the delicate, slightly peppery, olive oil. There's a small museum, where the Agamemnon family has collected artifacts and curiosities handed down through generations.
The unforgettable sojourn is made even more memorable with a walk along the ancient Via Salaria and majestic walls of Villa Laberia Crispina, to the site of a medieval castle.
To learn more about the Baglioni Hotel Regina or to reserve the olive oil tasting experience during your next stay, please contact the concierge upon making a reservation.
