Vitelium Embratur Extra Virgin Olive Oil, intensely fruity, 100 ml. Early harvest olive oil with notes of green tomatoes, limited edition – the small bottle to get to know it.

Vitelium Embratur Extra Virgin Olive Oil, intensely fruity, 100 ml is an extra virgin olive oil from Molise, pressed from the Sperone di Gallo and Nocellara del Belice varieties grown in Vitelium's own groves. Early harvest, hand-picked, extracted purely mechanically, intensely fruity with notes of green tomatoes, a fine bitter note, and a peppery finish. 100 ml, a small, limited quantity per harvest. Not a cooking oil, but an oil for the finished plate.

Embratur Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Vitelium is an early harvest extra virgin olive oil: the olives are picked while they are still green. Embratur is the Oscan word for emperor or ruler, and the name matches the oil’s character. Of the two olive oils we carry from Vitelium, this is the more intense one, and it is bottled in small, limited quantities each harvest. The 100 ml bottle is the perfect trial size for anyone who wants to sample an intensely fruity olive oil before adding it to their pantry.

Green tomato, bitter note, peppery finish

Embratur smells of green tomatoes—distinct and fresh. On the palate, it is followed by a fine bitter note and a peppery finish that tickles the throat. Both are hallmarks of an oil made from early-harvested olives and demonstrate the high polyphenol content associated with this bitterness and pungency.

The color is golden green, the taste intensely fruity. Depending on the vintage, the fruitiness shifts between tomato and artichoke, as Embratur is bottled fresh from every harvest. Anyone expecting a mild, buttery olive oil will find this one too bold.

Tomato salad, bruschetta, beans, and steak

An oil with tomato notes belongs with tomatoes. A tomato salad with salt, onion, and Embratur needs nothing else. Just as simple: toasted white bread, rubbed with garlic, topped with diced tomatoes, drizzled with oil—your bruschetta is ready.

Embratur pairs well with everything that deserves a final spoonful of oil: white beans with rosemary, minestrone, grilled vegetables, burrata with pepper. For a grilled steak or a piece of fried fish, add it only when it's on the plate. In the pan, the oil would be wasted, as the fruitiness evaporates with the heat.

Store the bottle in a dark, cool place and keep it well sealed to maintain its freshness.

Our tip: Try the oil pure first, on a piece of white bread with a little sea salt. This allows you to experience the tomato, bitter note, and peppery finish individually so you know which dish to pair it with later.

Two locations at 400 and 800 meters altitude

The olives for Embratur grow in two locations in Molise, at elevations of approximately 400 and 800 meters. This is where the Sperone di Gallo and Nocellara del Belice varieties are grown, giving the oil its tomato note. The quantity is small, which is why Vitelium bottles Embratur as a limited edition.

Vitelium is a boutique producer based in Hamburg with cultivation in Provvidenti in the province of Campobasso. Dr. Davide Petrollino, a plant biologist from Campobasso with ten years of research at the University of Ferrara, is responsible for cultivation and production. His wife, Constanze Engelbrecht, manages the company from Hamburg.

Harvesting is done early and by hand, depending on the season, between mid-October and early November, at the green-fruity stage of ripeness. Within six hours, the olives are taken to the mill and processed purely mechanically in a centrifuge at under 27 degrees. The cultivation is free of fertilizers and pesticides, and the oleic acid content is below 0.2 percent. You can find more about early harvest olive oil in our Edible Oils Guide.

The small bottle for the curious

The 100 ml bottle is intended for anyone who wants to get to know Embratur first or give it as a gift. Those who use the oil regularly for salad, bread, and vegetables will be better served with the 250 ml Embratur.

For comparison, it is worth trying the 100 ml Frentanum from the same producer: medium-fruity, made from the Gentile di Larino variety, with notes of grass and artichoke instead of tomato. All products from the producer can be found on the Vitelium page, and other oils in our Olive Oil category.

Embratur is not suitable for frying or for those looking for a soft, mild olive oil. The Frentanum is also a green, robust oil, just slightly more restrained in its fruitiness.

An intensely fruity early harvest olive oil from Molise, limited edition – in a 100 ml bottle for sampling, gifting, and your first tomato salad.