AL TORCIO OIL MILL, NOVIGRAD, ISTRIA

The Al Torcio oil mill is the world's top producer of extra virgin olive oils

The greatest success and achievement of the Istrian oil mill Al Torcio was attained in 2019. At the NYIOOC (New York International Olive Oil Competition), the world's largest and most prestigious competition for extra virgin olive oils, Al Torcio won two gold medals (Frantoio and Itrana) and one silver medal (Rosulja), which ranks it among the world's top producers of extra virgin olive oils.

The olive kingdom of the Beletić family

The olive oil road, called Strada Contessa, leads to the olive kingdom of the Beletić family in Novigrad. The stone castle, which houses a state-of-the-art olive processing plant and bears the Al Torcio name plate above the entrance, has become a trademark of the family. Đurdica and her sons Karmino and Kristijan are devoted to making the dreams and visions of late husband and father Tranquilino Beletić come true. Tranquilino was a doyen of Istrian catering and olive growing in Novigrad.

The most modern oil mill in Croatia – there are 30% more polyphenols in our olive oil!

Despite excellent business results for almost 20 years, during which they won awards and medals for their olive oils in a number of competitions, in 2019 the Beletić family decided to raise the quality scale to the very top of the world.

On Saturday, 12th October 2019, the most modern oil mill within a radius of 500km became operational in Novigrad.

The Al Torcio oil mill has replaced existing olive processing machines with new ones. The latest technology of the Pieralisi company has been implemented, which enables the production of even higher quality oil since it does not require the addition of water in processing. The benefit of no water being added during processing is that the polyphenols contained in the olive paste do not dissolve in water, which was previously used for cooling in the old plant. Due to this new method, up to 30% more polyphenols are retained in the oil.

The latest multi-phase processing technology

In addition to reducing production costs (lower electricity and water consumption), the latest technology also enables better exploitation of by-products. In the previous plant, the olive pomace, which is a by-product of olive oil production, was of liquid consistency and used exclusively for our own use as a fertiliser in our olive groves (it has been proven that fermented pomace is the best fertiliser for olive trees).

The latest DMF (Decanter Multi Phase) technology gives a higher oil yield and incurs significantly lower energy consumption. The decanter (separator) is the main machine that changes production technology and represents the latest achievement in the field of olive oil separation. It combines all the advantages of processing in two phases, without the need to add water during processing and extraction of wet olive pulp/paté (olive puree). The result is lower water consumption, less vegetable water content after processing, and the production of a dry pomace that ferments much faster. Paté is also a very useful product that can be processed into olive fertiliser, or can be used in the production of biomass (the energy value of this by-product is very high), animal feed or even for human consumption. Also, this separator allows the complete emptying of the drum, resulting in better separation of products of different parties in the processing phase. It is important to mention that the DMF decanter uses innovative dampers which minimise the level of vibration and noise during operation.

Competitive advantages of the Al Torcio oil mill

1. Extra virgin olive oil of the highest quality
2. Up to 30% more polyphenols in the olive oil
3. State-of-the-art technology oil mill
4. Hand-picked olives, processed on the very same day
5. From Istria, the world's best olive oil region
6. Family-owned oil mill and family olive groves
7. Medals won at the most prestigious global competitions
8. Gold at the New York International Olive Oil Competition
9. Listed in the world's most prestigious olive oil guide, Flos Olei
10. Certificate for organic production

Direct sale of olive oil

The Al Torcio oil mill sells its extra virgin olive oils through its retail shop, and customers usually purchase olive oil for their own use and frequently come back to repurchase. A significant share of our customers is from abroad. Most of the products are sold through our tasting room, which is a part of the oil mill. Organised tours welcome tourists to experience the oil tasting and very often they buy our olive oil to use themselves. This direct contact is a very important part of our relationship with customers, because we highly value the recommendations of satisfied users.

Our olive oils are also available in the Torci 18 restaurant. Additionally, you can purchase it online through our web shop, as well as in the Austrian web shop Masino Olivenöl.

The Al Torcio Oil Mill produces extra virgin olive oils from the following varieties (monocultivar olive oils):

Extra virgin olive oil Leccino - premium quality

Leccino olive oil is a slightly cloudy, golden-yellow oil with gentle shades of green, and combines perfectly with legume appetisers, marinated fish, vegetable pasta, pasta with molluscs and shellfish, baked fish, grilled white meat and medium-ripe cheeses.

Extra virgin olive oil Ascolana - premium quality

Ascolana is a very clear oil, with an intense golden-yellow colour with greenish tones. It is excellent on crab marinades, seafood appetisers, chickpea cream soup, pasta with vegetables, clear fish soups, steak tartare, and on fresh, soft mozzarella and other similar cheeses.

Extra virgin olive oil Itrana - premium quality

Itrana’s clear oil has an intense green colour with yellow and golden shades. It is excellent on raw meat, carpaccio with Caesar's mushrooms, gratinated blue fish, legume pasta, pasta with crab, stewed fish, grilled red meat and venison, and hard cheeses.

Extra virgin olive oil Moraiolo - premium quality

Moraiolo’s clear olive oil with its intense golden-yellow colour is ideal on steamed vegetable appetisers, vegetables au gratin, legume cream soups, pasta with molluscs and shellfish, roasted fish, stewed white meat and medium-ripened cheeses.

Extra virgin olive oil Rossignola - Rosulja - premium quality

Rosulja is a clear olive oil with an intense golden-yellow colour and green tones. It perfectly complements grilled red chicory, and is great on beef carpaccio with mushrooms, vegetable soups, pasta with molluscs and shellfish, roasted fish, roasted red meat and hard cheeses.

Extra virgin olive oil Bianchera – Bjelica - premium quality

Bjelica is a clear golden-yellow olive oil, intense in colour with warm green notes.  It is excellent on roasted porcini mushrooms, gratinated blue fish, buckwheat pasta, warm vegetable appetisers, roasted fish, stewed red meat and venison dishes, and on hard cheeses.

Extra virgin olive oil Pendolino - premium quality

The varietal olive oil Pendolino is characterised by its light green to golden-yellow colour. It has a strong fruity scent which resembles freshly cut clover, artichokes and refined almonds. It is a harmonious, light and fresh oil of excellent quality, and very mild in bitterness and spiciness. It beautifully compliments cream soups and enhances the taste of venison and steak, including rump steak.

Extra virgin olive oil Frantoio - premium quality

The varietal olive oil Frantoio is a highly valued, top-quality olive oil which stands out thanks to its light green colour, its fruity aroma with a dominant taste of green olives, almonds and aromatic herbs, its moderate bitterness and strong spiciness. Such a dominant oil is the best addition to dishes of intense taste and aroma such as beefsteak, truffles, venison, goose liver, spicy and hard cheeses and wild asparagus, with which a new and magical combination of tasting pleasures is created.