Vitelium: Olive Oil and Truffle Products from Molise

Vitelium is a small producer with two locations: cultivation and production take place in Provvidenti, one of Italy's smallest villages in the Molise region south of Abruzzo, while sales are handled from Hamburg. Behind it is a married couple – Dr. Davide Petrollino, a plant biologist from Campobasso, looks after the olives, harvest, and pressing, while Constanze Engelbrecht handles distribution in Germany. The name stems from the Oscan word "Viteliú," which later became "Italia."

Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Early Harvest

The olives come from the family's own groves and are harvested by hand in October while still green. Within six hours, they arrive at the oil mill, where they are pressed purely mechanically at temperatures below 27 °C. Frentanum is primarily made from the Gentile di Larino variety from the Biferno Valley and has a medium-fruity taste of green olives and artichoke. Embratur is the limited, intensely fruity edition made from Sperone di Gallo and Nocellara del Belice with notes of green tomato. Both are also available in a 100 ml bottle to try.

Lemon Oil and White Truffle Oil

For the lemon oil, olives and untreated lemons are cold-pressed together, with no added flavorings. The white truffle oil combines their own olive oil with the natural aroma of white truffle and Bianchetto truffle – a few drops over risotto, pasta, or mashed potatoes, added just before serving.

Tartufata, Truffle Cream, and Porcini Pate

The truffles come from Molise, collected by Angelo, a friend of the family with his own truffle dogs. The Tartufata is a truffle pesto made from button mushrooms and summer truffles, the white truffle cream combines white truffle with cream and Caciocavallo cheese from Molise, and the porcini pate with truffles is the savory version with bay leaf and clove. All three are available in 50 g and 90 g jars.

Order Vitelium online

At Leni & Hans, you can receive Vitelium in 1–3 days. Constanze and Davide share how they came to own their olive grove in the interview in our magazine. You can find more olive oils in the olive oil category and learn about truffles in our truffle guide.