Interview with Marco Antonucci

There are encounters that leave a profound impression, capable of opening new perspectives and sparking questions we hadn't previously asked. Our recent conversation with Marco Antonucci, one of Italy's leading experts on extra virgin olive oil, was just that: a valuable opportunity for discussion that helped us see the world of olive oil through fresh eyes.

A journalist, architect, and professional olive oil taster, Marco has been involved internationally for many years in promoting the culture of extra virgin olive oil and sensory analysis through conferences, courses, meetings, guides, articles, and publications, both popular and for academic purposes.

Marco has dedicated his life to spreading knowledge, educating about taste, and championing quality: since 2018, he has also done so through "Gocce d'Olio," the first and only podcast in Italian and English dedicated to olive oil. His voice is one of the most authoritative in Italy when it comes to olive oil, and his commitment has helped raise awareness of a product that is simultaneously food, culture, and identity.

We at Fine Taste are honored to host him: not only because he appreciated our project, but also because he decided to share his vast wealth of knowledge with our community. This interview is the result, an opportunity to listen to his perspective and delve deeper into a world that deserves to be explored with depth and passion.

Marco, how did your journey into the world of olive oil begin, and what were the key moments that led you to become one of Italy's leading experts?

I've always been involved with food. After college, I focused my attention on the world of olive oil because I couldn't understand why my grandmother, a peasant from Abruzzo, made such disgusting oil. Yet she hand-picked olives from centuries-old trees, let them rest for a few days before taking them to the village's ancient mill, and then stored the oil in huge, unwashed glass bottles: the common image of the 1980s, and still the image of many consumers today!

In Italy, we talk a lot about wine, but less about extra virgin olive oil. In your opinion, why doesn't this product, so central to our diet, receive the same cultural and communication attention?

Italy has an olive-growing heritage that is envied everywhere: out of 1,250 cultivars recorded worldwide, approximately 700 are found in Italy, and just under 550 are currently cultivated and used to produce oil.

Despite this, olive oil is losing its personality because a sense of "modern parody" is invading the market: the insecurity of producers, often more interested in immediate economic returns, has prevented the creation of a unity, a movement capable of exporting the "Italian style"—namely, biodiversity, the possibility of producing an infinite variety of extra virgin olive oils. The market is oriented toward new systems based on a few fruitful cultivars that are increasingly reducing the differences in taste and flavor, amplifying (in a sort of modern parody, indeed) concepts like "first pressing," "low acidity," and "tradition"—concepts that have nothing to do with the potential of olive growing, but which are often a gentle and delicate way of camouflaging the word "old" and dressing the salad with words.

How important is extra virgin olive oil in defining the gastronomic and cultural identity of Italian regions?

Certainly, perhaps the aspect with the best investment/return ratio is inviting customers to visit the company, the place of production. This way, even without certifications, awards, or certificates, you can demonstrate how and what's being done and have them evaluate the products firsthand: what better confirmation of passion, expertise, and origin? And above all: if you come to my lake—for example—and buy a bottle of oil, you're buying a piece of the place it comes from, and when you use it at home, you'll surely remember the places you visited and perhaps share them with your guests. The place of production is crucial to the story of this product.

What are the most common mistakes consumers make when buying olive oil, and what advice would you give for learning to recognize a truly quality extra virgin olive oil?

Rather than errors, I'd speak of misconceptions. To cite the most common ones: Extra virgin olive oil is higher in calories than seed oil; oil from a farmer or friend is always better than that from a large producer or industrial oil; extra virgin olive oil that stings your throat is acidic and therefore of poor quality; cooking oil is different from dressing oil; unfiltered oil is more authentic; oil should always be stored in the same bottle/container to preserve its flavor; cold-pressed oil is better; a low-acid extra virgin olive oil is always better than a high-acid one. Seed oil is better for frying because it is lighter and more digestible…

So how do you learn to recognize a truly quality extra virgin olive oil? Use the same system you use for wine! Taste, compare, learn, and share.

What are the main challenges facing Italian oil producers today, and what would be needed to enhance their value, both in Italy and abroad?

We must overcome the distrust that olive growers have towards each other and towards those who try to spread good new ideas among them.

You must know what you're selling well and be clear about who you're selling it to and how you're selling it, always staying focused on the details of the product and the customer.

Because those who can truly promote Italian extra virgin olive oil and shape the market, making a difference, are those who produce it: it seems like a banal and obvious statement, but are producers really aware of this when they prepare to bottle their product?

In a sector so tied to the land and its roots, what role can innovation play without betraying tradition?

Olive growing is no longer just a hoe and a pruner. Today, it's crucial to consider new roles that didn't exist just 15 years ago, as the work is changing, evolving, and emerging, such as precision agriculture technicians who, for example, know how to use drones to monitor olive trees; rural data analysts who can read soil analyses and recommend targeted interventions; agroecological facilitators who manage communication and direct sales of olive oil, telling the story of each bottle; and those who design short, traceable, and participatory supply chains. Because consumers don't just want quality: they want to know where the product comes from, how it was grown, and by whom.

These roles don't detract from traditional work. On the contrary, they strengthen it, because the future lies in the collaboration between ancient knowledge and new skills.

Today, youth cooperatives are one of the most versatile and streamlined tools, and networking and sharing tools and knowledge has never been easier—all you need is a cell phone. Sharing, that is, collaborating, saves money, but also increases your influence; networking allows you to have a stronger voice, access public funding, and sell more effectively.

You've written extensively to educate and inform about the world of olive oil. How important is it to teach people how to "taste" olive oil the way they do wine?

Oil – like vinegar, for example – is not drunk like wine: this is why it is very important to teach the correct approach to understanding its organoleptic strengths and weaknesses.

How do you taste oil?

At food festivals, fairs, or markets, oil is usually tasted on bread; on television, it's enjoyed with raw vegetables or poured to complement more or less elaborate dishes. Wine, on the other hand, is served in special tasting glasses, which are washed between tastings to avoid mixing the aromas and flavors. On TV, it's described using matching glasses, and braised meat isn't cooked to taste wine.

Because any product should be tasted on its own, without other elements that could disturb or distort the flavor. A piece of chocolate, a cheese, a cured meat... should be tasted on its own without bread or other accompaniments.

This is a normal thing that seems to be the exception for oil, the solitary tasting of which in a glass still leaves many people speechless.

The role of olive oil in cooking is often underestimated. Can you tell us how a great extra virgin olive oil can transform a simple dish?

Very simply: with a few exceptions, when the chef (or whoever) stops thinking of oil as a cost and starts considering it a resource from both an economic and sensorial perspective.

Looking ahead, what trends do you think will shape the future of extra virgin olive oil, in Italy and around the world?

Global demand for olive oil generally follows supply: considering that in India, China, and Russia (to name just three) it is a virtually unused product, I'd say the trend can only be positive!

You agreed to share your experience and your articles with us: what struck you about our project and what do you think an initiative like Fine Taste can contribute to the culture of oil?

Anyone who sells oil, especially online, must know the product and be able to convey it to customers who appreciate it: otherwise, it's just a shelf that's found online rather than in a supermarket. I met you for the first time in an olive grove: I believe this is the best approach to understanding the product and being able to share it with your customers!

We sincerely thank Marco Antonucci for sharing his experience and vision with us. His authoritative voice reminds us that extra virgin olive oil is not just an ingredient, but a cultural and identity heritage to be protected and promoted.

We invite our readers to find out more through his “Olive Oil Drops” project https://www.oliveoildrops.com , a fundamental resource for anyone who wants to delve deeper into the world of oil.

For Fine Taste, this meeting represents another step on our journey: to foster authentic knowledge, share valuable insights, and contribute to building a more informed community. Because only by fully understanding what we bring to the table can we truly appreciate its value.