Frantoio
The genetic backbone of Italian oil growing. The same genotype circulates as Frantoio in Tuscany, Correggiolo in Romagna, Razza in the Veneto and Casaliva on Lake Garda — and at roughly 28% self-fertility it is the default pollinator for everything that cannot pollinate itself.
In the grove
Frantoio is grown across Tuscany, Umbria, Liguria and Puglia under a dozen regional names, and has been exported to essentially every new olive-growing country — Australia and the United States know it as Oblonga. It is strongly vigorous with a spreading habit, high and constant productivity, and fruit that detaches readily. It is cold-sensitive and highly susceptible to peacock spot, olive knot and fly, but partially resistant to Verticillium.
Its real significance is reproductive. At around 28% self-fertility and only 3% ovary abortion, it is the most reliable pollen source among the classic Italian cultivars, which is why it turns up as a minority planting in orchards whose main variety is self-sterile. The IOC also suggests it is one parent of Coratina.
Compared with the other reference cultivars
| Cultivar | Origin | Typical polyphenols | Sensory profile | Best pairing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frantoio | Tuscany, Italy | ~230 mg/kg | Aromatic and grassy, bright green, firmly pungent when early | Ribollita, grilled bread, white beans |
| Picual | Jaén, Spain | 300–700 mg/kg | Intensely green, clean bitterness, late-building pungency | Tomato salad, grilled vegetables, bread and salt |
| Coratina | Puglia, Italy | 330–410 mg/kg | Powerfully green and herbaceous, strong bitterness and pungency | Bean soups, grilled meat, bitter greens |
| Koroneiki | Messinia, Greece | Around the Greek mean; Cretan surveys 138–441 mg/kg | Green and aromatic, balanced bitterness and pungency | Greek salad, feta, grilled fish, horta |
| Arbequina | Lleida, Spain | 200–230 mg/kg | Soft, sweet entry, barely bitter, light pungency | Fish, salads, baking, mayonnaise |
| Leccino | Tuscany, Italy | ~150 mg/kg | Mild and soft, light spice, low bitterness | Fish, delicate vegetables, blending with Frantoio |
| Moraiolo | Umbria, Italy | ~270 mg/kg | Intense and structured, pronounced bitterness and pungency | Legume soups, grilled meat, bruschetta |
| Taggiasca | Liguria, Italy | Low (no measured range published) | Delicate and sweet, almond and pine nut, almost no bitterness | Pesto, fish, shellfish, steamed vegetables |
Polyphenol figures are the ranges published for each variety, not measurements of any bottle in the library. A single oil's figure depends on when it was picked and how it was milled, and is shown on that oil's own page where the producer states one.