Vitelium Frentanum Extra Virgin Olive Oil medium fruity, 100 ml. Early-harvest olive oil with grass and artichoke, from the Gentile di Larino variety – the small bottle to get to know it.

Vitelium Frentanum Extra Virgin Olive Oil medium fruity, 100 ml is an extra virgin olive oil from Molise, primarily from the Gentile di Larino variety from the Biferno valley. Early harvested by hand from Vitelium's own groves, extracted purely mechanically. Medium fruity, fresh with notes of green olives, grassy, with an artichoke undertone, bitterness, and pungency in the finish. 100 ml, for tasting and giving as a gift. Not a frying oil, but an oil for bread, salad, and the finished plate.

Frentanum Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Vitelium is an extra virgin olive oil from an early harvest, named after the Frentani, a Samnite tribe whose ancient capital was Larino. It is precisely there, in the valley of the Biferno river, that the olives for this oil grow, predominantly of the Gentile di Larino variety, which is native to this area. Frentanum is the everyday oil among Vitelium's two olive oils in our range, slightly more reserved in its fruitiness than the Embratur. The 100 ml bottle is the size for getting to know it: for a first comparison, as a small gift, or for a small household.

Green olive, freshly mown grass, artichoke

Frentanum smells fresh of green olives. On the palate, grassy notes and a fruity artichoke follow, accompanied by a pleasant bitterness. The finish brings a pungency that builds up slowly and lingers for a while.

For Vitelium, "medium fruity" means: distinctly green, but less massive than the Embratur with its tomato note. Depending on the season, the fruitiness can be a bit more robust. Bitterness and pungency are characteristic of an oil from early-harvested olives and are associated with a high polyphenol content. Those expecting a soft olive oil that is barely noticeable in the throat will find Frentanum too bold.

Bread with salt, salad, steamed vegetables, fish

Frentanum is an oil for cold dishes and for that final spoonful on a finished meal. The easiest way to get to know it is on a piece of white bread with sea salt. Then try it on salad: leaf salad, fennel with orange, or a tomato salad where the artichoke note plays along well.

Steamed vegetables love this oil: green beans, broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, topped with salt and a few drops of lemon. For pan-fried fish or chicken, add it only once on the plate.

Using it for frying would be a waste of its fruitiness. Store the bottle in a dark, cool place and keep it well sealed.

Our tip: Place Frentanum and Embratur in 100 ml side by side, pour a little of each onto a plate, and taste them with bread. This way you can find out whether you prefer grass and artichoke or green tomato before buying the large bottle.

Gentile di Larino from the Biferno valley

Larino is located in Molise, a small region south of Abruzzo. The Gentile di Larino variety, from which Frentanum is primarily pressed, grows in the fertile valley of the Biferno river. It is native to this region and gives the oil its grass and artichoke character.

Vitelium is based in Hamburg, while cultivation and production take place in Provvidenti in the province of Campobasso. Dr. Davide Petrollino, a plant biologist from Campobasso, is responsible for cultivation and production on-site. His wife, Constanze Engelbrecht, manages the company from Hamburg.

The harvest begins early, depending on the season between mid-October and early November, and is done by hand. The olives reach the oil mill within six hours. There, the oil is extracted purely mechanically in a centrifuge at under 27 degrees, and the oleic acid content is below 0.2 percent. The cultivation requires no fertilizers or pesticides. You can find more information in our guide to edible oils.

The small bottle for the first comparison

The 100 ml bottle is for everyone who wants to try Frentanum first or give it as a gift. Those who need the oil every week for salad, bread, and vegetables are better off with the Frentanum in 250 ml.

As a counterpart, the Embratur in 100 ml is a great match: intensely fruity with a tomato note, and limited in availability. You can find all products from the producer on the Vitelium page, and other oils in the Olive Oil category.

Frentanum is not suitable for frying or deep-frying, or for anyone looking for a mild oil for mayonnaise and light dressings.

A green, medium fruity olive oil from the Biferno valley in Molise – in a 100 ml bottle for tasting, comparing, and gifting.