Leccino
also called Leccio, Silvestrone, Premice, ToscanoThe mild, early-ripening blending partner of Tuscan oil — deliberately low in phenols — and, right now, the most agronomically important olive in Italy, because it is one of only two cultivars approved for replanting the Xylella-devastated groves of Salento.
| Also called | Leccio, Silvestrone, Premice, Toscano |
|---|---|
| Main regions | Tuscany, Umbria, Puglia |
| Purpose | Oil |
| Oleic acid | ~76–77% |
| Harvest | Early ripening, staggered oil accumulation |
| Shelf stability | Low — 17.5 h Rancimat at 110 °C |
| Xylella fastidiosa | Lowest colonisation of cultivars screened; one of two approved for replanting |
In the grove
Aroma and flavour descriptors
- 1Mild fruitiness
- 2Soft herbs
- 3Light spice
The IOC describes Leccino as a medium-quality oil, and published panel work groups it low on fruitiness, bitterness and pungency. No medians published. Our panel has not scored this cultivar.
Ordered by how often each recurs in the published varietal literature, not by measured intensity. Our panel has not scored a monovarietal Leccino oil, and no sensory panel data for it is published. 40 of the 40 varieties here read the same way.
Leccino oils in the library
From 7 producers
Leccino against the other Italy varieties
| Variety | Origin region | Used for | Polyphenols | Shelf stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coratina | Corato, Bari, Puglia | Oil | 330–410 mg/kg | 29.5 h Rancimat at 110 °C — highest of eleven cultivars tested |
| Frantoio | Tuscany | Oil | ~230 mg/kg | Not published |
| Leccino | Tuscany | Oil | ~150 mg/kg | Low — 17.5 h Rancimat at 110 °C |
| Moraiolo | Tuscany and Umbria | Oil | ~270 mg/kg | Not published |
| Taggiasca | Taggia, Imperia, Liguria | Dual-purpose | Low (no measured range published) | Not published |
| Casaliva | Lake Garda — Trentino, Brescia, Verona | Oil | 110–200 mg/kg | Not published |
| Nocellara del Belice | Valle del Belìce, Sicily | Dual-purpose | ~330 mg/kg mean | Not published |
| Tonda Iblea | Monti Iblei, Ragusa and Siracusa, Sicily | Dual-purpose | ~285 mg/kg mean | Not published |
| Itrana | Itri, Latina, Lazio | Dual-purpose | ~381 mg/kg mean | Not published |
| Peranzana | Alto Tavoliere, Foggia, Puglia | Dual-purpose | ~396 mg/kg mean | Not published |
| Bosana | Sardinia | Oil | ~415 mg/kg mean | Not published |
Sources
- IOC World Catalogue of Olive Varieties
- Olive genotypes potentially resistant to Xylella fastidiosa, Front. Plant Sci. 2021
- Eleven monovarietal EVOOs grown and processed alike, Foods 9(7):904
Every figure on this page carries a source. Where we could not find one we say so rather than estimating. Corrections are welcome and credited.